


Moments Shared and Unshared

by Montreat11



Series: Moments Series [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-11
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-11 21:25:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 124,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3333428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Montreat11/pseuds/Montreat11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Strength is found in many different ways. In times of solitude and sometimes in the company of another person, when there is nothing to lose, and everything to gain. 4th in the Moment's Series. Belle's perspective of everything that happens from the moment Rumple returns her memories in "...And Straight On Till Morning" to the curse being cast to take them back to the Enchanted Forest in "Going Home". R/R.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Before the End

Her life came flooding back to her the second she placed the tea cup back onto the table and swallowed the liquid. Her tea cup. Their tea cup. On his table, in the back of the shop she had learned so well, a shop that had begun to feel like home. It was a strange feeling, in some ways it was like nothing had changed, like she'd only just woken up from a very long nap. In other ways, she knew everything had changed. She was back, she was herself, and she remembered...everything.

She didn't feel alone in her own head any more. There was someone else...Lacey. And the girl wasn't just in her head, she was on her body, in her life! She was wearing Lacey's clothes, her hair was tied in the knot that Lacey had put there...and in front of her was the man she loved, the man Lacey hadn't. She had told him time and time again that she loved him, done remarkable things to prove it, but now she could also remember telling him that she didn't love him and all the hideous demonstrations she'd committed to prove that to him as well. The voice in the memory was hers, so were the words had come from her mouth, but they simply didn't belong to her. She looked up at him timidly, wondering what he would think of her now, and watched as tears suddenly sprang to his eyes. She recognized them at once, though she'd never seen them before: tears of hope.

"Belle?" he asked, his voice no more than a broken whisper.

She nodded, confirming that the nightmare he'd been living was over, that he had nothing to fear, she was back, and she was going to stay that way. She was halfway to him when she realized that she was crying too. "My Rumple!" she mumbled before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately, her fingers tangling in his hair as she let him grip her tighter. This was how that night at the town line should have ended. A passionate, joyful, and relieved kiss like this one. She wanted to go on, as they might have then, she wanted more than this one kiss but he pulled away from her.

"I'm so sorry," he cried. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you up to die!" A burst of fear grew in her chest. How could she have forgotten? She was back, but another problem remained, only now of course it made more sense than when Lacey had dominated her life. The town was in the process of being destroyed, and they, along with everyone else in Storybrooke, would soon be dead! The moment might have been passionate, but it wasn't joyful. "But I needed you," he admitted in a broken voice, looking at her like she was his last hope in the world, like he needed her to understand.

The fear melted away at his words and she reached out to move a lock of hair away from his tearful eyes. She did understand, she just didn't know what to say or do. "You lost your son," she stated, her voice breaking at the same time his face fell. Baelfire, Neal, was dead. She remembered that statement clearly, but the full weight of it hadn't hit Lacey the way it did here. Neal wasn't just some long lost son he had a complicated relationship with. He was Baelfire. He was  _the_ long lost son and though she had no idea what had passed between the two of them in her absence she knew that "complicated" didn't quite begin to describe what happened between them. She wasn't sure what happened to Bae, but she knew he hadn't killed him, as Lacey suspected. How the boy, the grown man, had perished was beyond her, but she also knew that it was worse than the fears he'd confided to her during their late nights. Regret and disappointment he could have lived with, he'd been doing it for centuries, but death? Devastation? The loss of all purpose and hope?!

Of course he needed her! He was a man haunted with regret and selfishness, feelings Lacey had only encouraged. But those words, they meant more to her than anything he had ever said to her. He didn't need Lacey, neither of them did. He needed  _her_. No one else knew just how hard he'd been working, how long he'd been searching to find his son! To have lost him so suddenly after finding him was an unfathomable blow. She couldn't even pretend to know how he felt. And she wouldn't pretend that any word or action could fix it.

"I'm so sorry," she stated instead, reaching out and wrapping herself around him. She settled into her spot again, the one that Lacey hadn't discovered, she wanted to say more, to do more, but words failed her. "I'm sorry," she repeated holding him closer. It was all she could think of.

"I've failed," he cried, holding her tight against him as his voice broke. "I've failed!" he wailed again. He clung to her like she was the only anchor he had left in this world. Then again, with Baelfire gone, she was the only anchor he had left. That was okay, she was happy to be his rock, his shield, to be anything that he needed. She had never met Baelfire, she had as Lacey, and cringed at the only memory the boy would have had of her, but she hadn't met him as herself. Nevertheless, she found herself crying with him, his murmurings against her about failure only fueling her own devastation. Since the day she'd found out about the child she'd been so invested in the search that she felt like she'd lost him too.

They stood for a long time. She let him sob and continued to stroke his hair and rub his back as he did, offering the little support she could give, hoping it was enough, knowing that it couldn't be. Finally, when it seemed like the worst had passed, she pressed her lips to his neck and pulled away to meet his gaze. His eyes were red and swollen and lifeless. He looked broken. He looked as old as he was. He looked like a man without purpose. And for the first time since she'd known him, she knew he was. She wiped her thumbs over his damp face before she rested her forehead against his own, still unable to think of something to say.

Suddenly the floor beneath her feet shifted violently and she gasped at the sound of glass breaking. There! Behind her, a tree branch had burst through one of the shops windows! The vibrations grew, shaking both of them off balance and knocking them apart despite the way he fought to hold tight to her. They grabbed desperately for the tables and the counter-tops to regain their stability! They fought to stay upright! Then, just as suddenly as it began...it stopped.

For a moment the only sound in the room was their ragged breath as they looked around the shop and took stock of what had happened. It scared her, terrified her really! But the image seemed to sober him as it brought them back to the reality they were facing. He didn't need hope anymore, he didn't need purpose, soon he wouldn't even need her.

"I'm so sorry" he apologized again, as if it was his fault that this was happening, as if he needed to apologize for giving her memories back.

She shook her head and quickly made her way back to him, feeling the vibrations of another quake on the way. She wouldn't have him feel sorry for any of this but especially not for bringing her back from a world of oblivion! "I'd rather die here with you as myself, than spend a million years by your side as Lacey," she explained trying to hold back her scared tears. The vibrations were growing stronger and before they could lose their balance, or their closeness, again she grabbed his hand and led him to the cot that he kept against the wall.

She had only meant for it to help steady them, something they could sit on as the small earthquakes continued to tear apart the shop, but as she sat her dress drifted farther up her legs and she was suddenly aware of what she had chosen to wear that morning: hose that revealed her legs, nothing underneath, a dress that was too short, too revealing, too little and yet too much. She had never hated a person in her life but she hated Lacey. She hated what Lacey had turned her into, what she had done to him, and how she'd defiled what never really belonged to her. She wasn't as modest as some of the holy women she'd met in their land but she did prefer an air of secrecy to herself, especially after she'd found him. There were parts of her body that she'd liked to keep hidden, covered, knowing that he would be the only person in the world that would ever see them. And Lacey had carelessly flaunted what felt like every bit of her to the town.

She'd rather die in her hospital gown than like this! Embarrassed and disgusted with the garments she reached down to take off her shoes so that she could at least remove something that Lacey had placed on her. But as her trembling fingers struggled with the clasp she found them replaced by steady ones...his.

"Let me..." he muttered, his eyebrows questioning, his voice still raspy from the sorrow that had spilled from his eyes.

She nodded, giving permission, as he quickly helped remove her shoes. But he didn't stop there. To her surprise, moved his hands up her legs, under the tiny dress, and up her hip where he gave a gentle tug to remove the hose as well. She didn't mind that Lacey hadn't put anything underneath that morning. He was the only one that she was comfortable enough around not to be embarrassed by it. Besides, the simple, slow actions seemed to calm him in some way. He needed the distraction. And as the floors began to shake again, making it impossible to tell where one quake ended and another began, she suddenly realized she needed the distraction too.

So she let him continue on, stripping her of everything that had been Lacey's, and covering her with hands and finally kisses. She let him rid her of Lacey as she had slowly rid Rumpelstiltskin of the Dark One. If this was to be their final act then it would be one they would create together. End of the world or not...this was perfect.

It was a small cot, nothing more than a pillow and a couple of blankets but they managed. They kissed. They touched. They connected, binding themselves back together again. As they moved together they said the only things they'd each longed to hear. Her name escaped from his lips. She couldn't seem to stop telling him that she loved him. It was the very definition of lovemaking and she realized that the world would end, the forest would continue to rip through his shop, the Earthquakes would shake the foundation...and they would die. But if she had to die, this was how to do it.

Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin.

Together, until the end just as it should be.

When he fell against her afterward she wrapped her arms around his back and held him. "I love you," he whispered in a choked voice that made her worry.

"Rumple?" she questioned running her fingers through his hair. After a moment, he gave a sigh that sounded almost shameful against her neck and picked himself up to place his forehead against her own. He was crying again. But it wasn't the joyful unbelievable tears he normally shed after they made love, it was mournful, sorrowful. The look on his face broke her heart and she understood perfectly. She didn't want him to feel upset or ashamed that his mind has traveled back to Bae instead of her. He shouldn't be ashamed. He'd suffered a terrible blow. She only wished there was something she could do to help him, to bring him peace in these final minutes...but she knew she couldn't, not truly at least.

She could only reach up, kiss his forehead, and pull him against her again. He lay across her body with his head against her chest, his body trembling. She continued to give the only comfort that she could. "I love you," she muttered in his ear as his back shuttered with quiet sobs. She kissed what she could reach. She moved her hands up and down his back and through his hair, but she didn't tell him it was okay; because it wasn't. It never would be. Everything had changed now that Bae was really and truly gone. Soon they would be too. But if they only had this moment, if he would die only having her, then she needed him to know just how much he had her.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear. "You are the best part of my life and I would be lost if it weren't for you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life and I never want to be without you again!"

She wasn't sure how long they had laid there together, legs tangled, two bodies as one, waiting for the moment the forest would claim them. She was conscious of how the earth trembled beneath them, the tree that had burst through the window was growing, and even the shouts and screams of the people outside as they fooled themselves into thinking they could run for their lives. She only clutched him tighter. They could endure it...together.

But suddenly, his tears stopped and he went dead still. Her heart pounded and for a moment she thought that the event was finally there and he had left her soul behind a fraction too early. "Rumple," she muttered, moving his hair. "Rumple!" she shrieked as frightened tears started to gather in her eyes.

But just before they could burst free he pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked down at her, allowing her racing heart to calm. "We have to go!" he said, then quickly moved the blankets and left her nothing but cold air as he dove for his discarded clothes and cane, faster than she knew he could move!

"Go?" she muttered, alarmed at his abrupt departure. Go? Go where? She was still trying to figure out what had happened! The world was ending where did they need to "go"? "Rumple! Why? What's happening?"

He glanced back at her, looking her up and down regret and panic on his face. It was like he was sorry to end their time this way, but surprised that she hadn't followed suit and gotten up as well. "Please, Belle, I...I need you to trust me," he stuttered, as he sat at her side, struggling to steady himself against the bucking earth. "I have to be at the docks, something is about to happen!"

"What?" she questioned.

His face softened slightly, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a hopeful smirk. "A future!" he breathed. "And if I can see it-"

"Then it exists," she finished. She might not have known what was happening, but trusting him came easy to her. As he got up again she swung her legs over the end of the cot and reached down to the side where he had left her vile dress. She didn't have time to find anything else to wear in the shop and didn't want to break whatever had grabbed his focus to ask for a replacement. But at least she was able to quickly redo her hair, and pick up a different jacket, one that was warmer and would cover her body more appropriately. It wasn't easy with the floor shaking, but they managed to collect themselves quickly. He helped her with her coat, like the gentleman she knew he was, and started to lead the way out of the room.

"Rumpelstiltskin, wait!" she called suddenly, grabbing his hand and stopping him in place. He stared at her, worried at her sudden outburst but also wanting to leave. She'd said it a million times already, but she needed to say it just one more time before they ran off to face the unknown. She didn't know why but she had a feeling like it was of utmost importance that she say it just one more time. "I love you!" she said, aware that they were the same words she'd said when her memory had come back to her the first time. The sentiment wasn't lost on him.

"And I love you, too!"

She wrapped her hands around his neck, as another tremor began building and kissed him again one more time, quickly, knowing the way that sentence should have finished. There would be time for this later, but there was something he had to do first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! For those of you that are just checking out this fiction, welcome! For those of you who are a fan of the Moments Series, welcome back! I hope you'll enjoy this fiction. It's the fourth in the Moments Series, a series that is an attempt at an accurate portrayal of Belle's perspective during the Once Upon a Time series. This fiction features everything that happened in Storybrooke from the moment Rumple gives Belle her memories back in "...And Straight on Till Morning" to the moment just before they go back to the Enchanted Forest in "Going Home". Also, please note, Exile Readers, if you are at this chapter you need to PM me to get Exile Part III. You'll need it for this chapter and for this fiction! And if you are interested in becoming an Exile Reader, or learning more about Moments Exiled, please PM me as well and we will talk!
> 
> Because I am working to keep this series as accurate as possible, there might be changes made to this fiction, as needed. So to keep track of updates throughout the year I've created a Twitter account under Montreat11 just for Moments! So if you want to keep up on any changes, minor or major, follow me! Also, if you enjoy this fiction, please comment, bookmark, or leave kudos! I always enjoy those wonderful gems waiting for me in my inbox and I love writing back to thank you personally for reading and reviewing! It helps me know that I'm doing a decent job. Peace and Happy Reading!


	2. Making Plans

There was something that he had to do first, but she had no idea what that something might be, what he might be sensing that was calling for his immediate attention...but it made him frantic. He released her from the death grip and she followed his example, but placed her hand in his. Suddenly a strange sound echoed through the shop. His grip on her hand tightened automatically, as if he was preparing to pull her out of the way if things got worse. But they didn't get worse, in fact, they suddenly seemed to get better!

They watched, mesmerized as the tree branch that had been making its way into their space quickly receded back into the world and the glass it had broken through magically healed itself, as if nothing had ever happened. The world around them was still and quiet and as she looked down at their feet she realized that the tremors had stopped! Not even the slightest trace of a vibration remained.

"What's happening?" she asked, glancing around the shop in amazement.

He didn't answer, only dropped her hand, pushed through the curtain, and sped toward the door. He threw it open, stepped into the frame...and stopped.

She hurried after him, watching as he looked around the street with amazement, like he'd never seen the town before in his life! Once she finally caught up with him, and could see for herself, she understood his surprise. She could see traces of forest, trees, moss, vines, it had all invaded the town just as that tree had his shop. But now the forest was receding and leaving the town as it had been. The damage that had been done was repairing itself just as the glass in the back room of his shop had. It was an amazing sight. An amazing relief!

"They stopped the trigger," he muttered to her.

"We live?" she questioned, not believing their luck.

He turned to look back at her and nodded. "We live."

She fell into his arms almost too relieved to stand! He held her tight, but she didn't like what she felt in his arms. She felt relieved, but the way he held his body felt...less than relieved. He was holding her and she knew he was happy she would live...but was he happy that he would live? Could he be since Bae had died?! Which would have been worse for him; death? Or life without his son?

"Rumple-"

"Wait here for me, Belle," he interrupted, releasing her. Without another word he moved around her and disappeared into the back room again. She looked around the town, trying to put her memories of what just happened and the ones Lacey had together. The trigger. The self-destruct device. Who'd stopped it? Regina? The Charmings? She had more questions than answers, but as he returned to her side and wrapped a protective hand around her waist, she realized the only thing that really mattered in this was that they were safe. He'd been right. There was a future. Anything was possible. Now if only she knew what was happening at the docks...if only she knew how to help him live without Bae.

He led her out the door, the urgency returning to his step almost immediately. He slowed only enough to lock the door to the shop behind him. "Let's go," he muttered placing a hand at her back again and leading her to the place he kept his car.

"What's happening at the dock?" she asked again, wondering if things were clearer now that the destruction had passed.

"I'm...it's..." he stuttered trying to find his words as he unlocked the car. "It's hard to explain how it works," he muttered starting the car. "It's really just a fragment but I know I have to be there!"

"I believe you," she breathed. He pulled out of the space as quickly as he could. There was tension on his face and she wondered if he knew what was going on and just wasn't telling her. She reached over and laced her fingers through his for his comfort as much as hers. She might not know what was going on, but after everything they'd just been through, not to touch him in some way seemed a crime. And he seemed to agree with her, because, even though she knew that he didn't like to drive with only one hand, he never once dropped it. Neither could bring themselves to separate from one another.

This was different. He'd never done this with Lacey. And why would he have?! Their love was unique and tender and spiritual. It was more than Lacey could ever fathom. Lacey had no love for him. She'd been attracted by his power, by the idea of being kept alive and young forever, and by the idea of magic granting her hopes and dreams. All she'd wanted was to show everyone what she was capable of and that no one could force her to do anything!

Of course Lacey had tried. She'd tried to feel something for him, to make the situation better for herself thinking if she more than liked him then their relationship would be bearable. But she hadn't been able too, and it wasn't entirely her fault. His walls had been up and his mask fixed firmly in place; she was the only one in the world that would have been able to see that. And it wasn't hard to see why.

All those things she'd done: leaving him sitting alone at Granny's, encouraging him to destroy another person after she'd heard of the prophecy, watching gleefully as he-they'd caused havoc around the town, things he'd done to keep her interested, to keep her by his side! It made her sick! She'd spent all their time together trying to pull the man out of the beast and then Lacey had done nothing but encourage the beast to swallow him whole. And then there were those awful things she'd said to him. Lacey had unmistakably and mysteriously twisted words that were once her own:  _"Well you know what they say, you can't tell what's in a person's heart until you truly know them", "You really are as dark as people say", "I thought you were a man who, who wouldn't let anything stand in his way", "It's just an old rag!"._  And then there was the worst of all:  _"She may have loved you Mr. Gold, but I'm not her!"_

Her grip on his hand involuntarily tightened as angry and embarrassing rage pulsed through her body at the memory. She did love him! She loved him more now than she did before she lost her memories, if that was possible. And she couldn't bear to think about those times when that demon had possessed her body completely.

She shook her head as she looked out the window swiping at a tear that had fallen from the corner of her eye. He didn't notice; he was too focused on whatever was drawing him to the docks. She was like everyone else now, she had two people living in her head, but while others in town were embracing their two lives she was going to keep that other voice turned down as far as she could. He needed her, he'd said the words himself and she was going to make sure that she was exactly what he got. It wouldn't be hard, because she needed him too.

They held hands the entire way there. And when they arrived at the dock they separated just long enough to get out of the car, but after she rounded the vehicle, even when they were in a hurry, he held his hand out for her again and she returned it. Yes, he was hers and hers alone. But they weren't alone here on the dock and it was obvious that things were not as fixed as they'd appeared when they'd stepped outside the shop.

Her first hint that something wasn't right was that Regina and the Charming family were all standing at the dock together looking out over the water. They were exchanging words and they didn't appear to be fighting each other like they usually did. No, something was very wrong. They made their way quickly over to the group gathered there and the closer they got the more she knew that there was a problem. David was holding a struggling Emma against him. She was doubled over and screaming something at Regina, looking like she was ready to jump off the dock and into the sea.

"I don't care!" she finally heard her shout.

"Without it there's no way to follow," Regina explained frantically, nearly as agitated as she could sense Rumple was.

"There has to be!" Emma exclaimed with desperation and anger. "We can't let them just take Henry!"

Her heart stopped beating in shock.

"They've taken Henry?" he asked, voicing their shared confusion. The group turned to look at the pair of them and they released their hands, turning to the important matter at hand. Henry being kidnapped would certainly explain the reason Emma and the rest of the family were so frantic, but why would something like that have called to him?

"Yeah!" David confirmed. "You're the Dark One, do something!"

"Gold," Emma looked at him like he was more precious than a small oasis in the middle of the desert. "Help us," she breathed that same insane desperation in her voice that she'd addressed the world with.

"There's no way," he answered quickly. His voice was dead serious and full of his own panic and she knew immediately that it was the truth. He really couldn't do anything. "I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son," he explained, "there's no way in this world without a portal!"

"That's it?!" Regina asked, disappointed. "He's gone forever?" She automatically took a step back, placing herself behind Rumpelstiltskin in the Queens presence. She might have hoped that reaction to her would have faded, but it returned just as powerful as ever even in a moment when she wasn't under threat. This had been the person that had brought Lacey into her mind, the person that had separated them, the person that had caused them so much trouble yet again! She didn't want to be anywhere near her.

But Regina didn't seem to notice her. Instead of the evil glare and false smile she was used to Regina wearing, there was something different. She did look angry, but she also looked just as hurt as Emma did. Wounded. In fact, there were real tears gathering in her eyes and it made her soften toward her, less frightened somehow. So the Evil Queen did have a heart, someone that she cared about! She was no more a beast than he was. That revelation was almost as shocking as Henry being kidnapped-but not nearly as terrifying.

The small group all stared at them-him, looking at him like there had to be some sort of answer, some spell, that he could perform that would magically bring the boy back! But he was right. If it was that simple to retrieve someone from another realm he would have gotten Bae back centuries ago. He couldn't help them.

"I refuse to believe that," Regina said harshly, correctly interpreting his silence and shaking her head as she looked out over the water. It was like if she stared hard enough she would find the answer there waiting for her.

She inadvertently followed her gaze out over the empty waters but...it wasn't empty! She saw…something! Something long was floating on the surface of the water coming out of the fog. And it was definitely moving closer to them not further away. She moved between David and Snow and squinted trying to focus on the item to see it closer. "What is that?" she asked. Could it be them? Could they have come back? Did they have Henry with them? The others gathered around her and looked out at the object.

"Hook," Emma whispered. Hook? As in Captain Hook? As in the Captain Hook that had shot her?! What was he still doing in Storybrooke? She figured that Rumple would have killed him since not even Lacey had caught a glimpse of him after that fateful night. "He's got the last bean!" Emma exclaimed suddenly. She didn't understand what she was talking about but they appeared to and the group quickly raced away toward the place where Hook would dock his ship...only David turned back to look at Rumple.

"Can you control yourself, Gold?" he asked with real concern, casting her a brief suspicious glance. She felt a wave of embarrassment and heat rushed into her cheeks. Did they know that she wasn't Lacey anymore? That she was Belle again?

"I think I can worry about myself," he answered with a nasty glare at the prince.

"He'll be fine," she stated gently, hoping he'd recognize her tone and not Lacey's. He seemed to, or at least hoped that he did and it wasn't her imagination. His eyes roamed over her and he nodded once before he ran off to catch up with the rest of the group. She let out a sigh of relief as she walked back over to him and wrapped an arm through his. They couldn't run like they could, not with his bad ankle, but they did walk as fast as she knew that he could.

"Can you?" she asked immediately, hoping Lacey hadn't set him back too far, knowing this might be more of a test than he was ready for. He wouldn't have answered David, but he would tell her, he'd be truthful with her. Somehow she knew that much had changed between them after the Lacey situation. "Can you handle this?" she clarified as they made their way toward Hooks ship.

"For now," he answered. "There are more important things to worry about at the moment than the issues I have with that pirate!" he spat angrily. He would control his actions and words, but he still wasn't able to control his temper. It was understandable enough, he and Regina had caused them the most trouble of everyone else. She couldn't expect him to act as though that didn't matter, but she was happy enough that he was going to pretend. Frankly, she was proud of him, just knowing that he hadn't killed Hook in revenge for what had happened to her!

"The, uh, the bean they mentioned?" she questioned as they walked down the dock toward the others.

"It's a magic bean," he explained breathless. "It can transport an individual to any realm they desire."

"They have those in Storybrooke?!"

It was more of a comment than an actual question she expected him to answer. Nevertheless, he answered her simply. "A lot has happened in Storybrooke since you were last here." And although she'd never been anywhere, she understood perfectly what he meant. It was as if she'd gone on a long vacation and had just come back. She much preferred that version of events than what had really happened.

"Is there anything else?" she asked. "Anything else that I need to know now?"

There was. She could tell by the way he stopped dead at her words, away from ear shot of the others. "Henry," he muttered, turning to search her eyes. "He's Bae's son."

It took a moment for the words and why they were important to process. And when they finally did, it made sense why he'd known something was wrong with the boy and why he'd come running.

Neal was Baelfire, his son.

And Henry was Bae's son.

She fought to hold in a gasp as she put it together. "That makes Henry your-"

"Yes," Rumple confirmed.

Henry was his grandson!

Bae was his father!

Emma and Bae were...

They'd...

He had a grandson!

She wanted to ask so much about what had happened and she imagined that if it wasn't for Henry being gone, he would have loved to sit down with her and tell her all this properly. But now Henry was missing. His grandson had been kidnapped! He wasn't just a neighborhood boy anymore. Something had to be done.

Before she could ask any questions or he could give any answers, he turned and pulled her with him toward the crowd of people, close enough to understand what they were saying again.

"Enough waiting around, let's go!" Regina insisted glancing down at something that Emma held in her hand. Had Hook turned over the magic bean? Was that it?

"Go?" Hook asked. "Where? I thought we were saving the town."

"We already did," David corrected.

"We need to get Henry," Emma explained calmly to him. "Greg and Tamara took him through a portal." Everything suddenly clicked into her mind. That was what had given them the idea of using a portal! That was how two non-magical strangers, that if she understood everything she thought she did, had managed to transport another non-magical boy to another realm. At least they hadn't used magic that not even the Dark One had. She shuddered at the very thought of magic that powerful. But then, why had they taken the boy in the first place? And why take him to another realm instead of just across the town line. As far as she knew only Rumple and Emma would have been able to go after him and certainly it was safer than taking him somewhere they didn't know!

"Well, I offer my ship and my services to help follow them," Hook said, surprisingly kind and considerate. It was the exact opposite of the Hook that she knew. What exactly had happened to the swashbuckling pirate since she'd been "gone"? What had happened to everyone else?! This wasn't the time to ask but she made a mental note to sit down with him as soon as they figured out what they were going to do and have him tell her everything that had happened in this town since they'd gone to the town line.

"Well that's great, Hook," Regina said sarcastically, "but how will we track them?"

"Leave that to me," Rumple declared boldly as they came to rest some distance from the rest of the group. Her grip on his arm tightened as she looked the pirate over, preparing for the worst as the two sworn enemies faced off, both daring the other to blink first. And yet, each seemed equally surprised and unenthused that they had a common goal. "I can get us where we need to go."

She took her eyes off Hook and glanced up at him, wondering if she had missed something. No, she hadn't. He knew the pirate was there, knew that the pirate was planning on going with them, and he was still going to offer his own services to help. A deep gasp drew her attention to the others around them, all doing exactly what she had been doing: looking at the pair of them and wondering how they were ever going to get along enough to work together.

"Then let's do it!" Mary Margaret finally said, eager to put all the tension behind them and go after the child. Her words broke the silent spell over the group. A plan decided, they began to prepare the ship to leave. She glanced back up at him, and saw him exchanging a final glare at Hook. It was a good thing he had made the choice to bring her back instead of keep Lacey by his side. He was going to need her for this adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I'm really unhappy with the final result of this chapter. I've tried over and over again to fix it, but no matter what I do I just can't seem to be happy with it. My personal opinion, this is just not a scene that translates well from screen to...er...screen? Part of that is my fault, in hindsight I think it's divided pretty awkwardly and I think that I probably should have put what is in this chapter into two separate chapters but ya know...live and learn...and then improve elsewhere! Right? That's what I'm going with.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	3. Another Adventure

She couldn't be prouder. It seemed like everything had changed since she was last herself. The Rumpelstiltskin she knew would never consider looking at Hook without threatening him, much less, working with Hook to get that boy back. She also knew the tolerance that he was going to need in order to deal with Regina; she knew the tolerance that  _she_  was going to need to deal with Regina. Frankly, the entire voyage was going to try her very being. The man that had shot her and the woman that had taken her away from Rumple...twice! Her grip on his arm tightened as they followed the strange group of people, friends and foes, down the dock.

It was going to be a difficult journey, but would be okay. They would help each other. And although things couldn't seem more wrong they also couldn't seem more right. They were together, arm and arm like it would be forever. She was back now. Nothing would ever come between them again. Nothing.

"Belle, I-I have to go..." he stated suddenly in a nervous tone, as he pulled away from her and turned, barring her path. "You have to stay here."

Her jaw dropped at the command. "No! Why?!" she glanced up at the ship and everyone preparing for whatever lay ahead. She couldn't believe what he was suggesting. It was the silliest thing she'd ever heard! Why should she stay here? He'd been working so hard to get her back and now that he had her he was going to separate them again?! She wanted to go with him! She needed to go with him! This was more than she'd ever dreamed of: she wanted to be a hero, to go on an adventure, and with him at her side she knew there was nothing they couldn't do! What was she suppose to do while he was gone? Sit around and wait like before? No, never again! She didn't want to be left out and she didn't want him to face this without her.

"I-I want to help!" she insisted.

He took a step closer to her, a look of desperation on his face. "The town is no longer safe," he blurt out.

"What?" She furrowed her brow at the remark. In all the ways she thought he might try to leave her behind, to keep her safe, leaving her in the unsafe place wasn't one of them.

"What?" he glanced over at David who appeared to have overheard their conversation and looked just as surprised as she felt. The evil that had invaded their town was gone, they were going after Greg and Tamara now, so what was the problem?

"Well, Greg and Tamara weren't working alone...others will follow," he explained. His eyes moved between the two of them but seemed to linger on her longer each time. It scared her. The last time he had looked at her like that he had gotten her back after the incident with the Wraith. He had been watching her like he was in a dream and would wake up and lose her again at any moment. It had been heart-breakingly sweet, then. But it didn't feel that way now. It made her uneasy.

"No, we can't leave people in danger!" David's voice kept interfering with her thoughts. She knew the reason he was there, but something was wrong and she wanted to take a moment alone with him to figure it out! What wasn't she grasping. Had she missed something as Lacey? No, all of her time was accounted for. So what was it then? Why was he looking at her like that?

"After we've gone," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny scroll wrapped with a small piece of red thread, "follow these instructions." She plucked it from his hand and looked it over, barely the width of her little finger, and though it was rolled tightly she could feel something inside of it. What were the instructions? And when had he had time to put them together? They'd barely had a moment alone after she'd gotten her memories back that he had announced they needed to be here, and she knew he hadn't been putting that together in the space between. She would have blushed at the memory if she didn't suddenly remember the moment he'd left her alone for a few minutes, seconds really, just after the trigger had been broken. She didn't know when he'd put it together, but he'd certainly collected it then, at the very least.

"It's a cloaking spell," he informed them, calming David's nerves but making hers sizzle. This?! This was why he was leaving her behind?! So that she could be the one to protect the town?! She'd always longed to be a hero, just like her mother, but did he really expect her to do magic?! Magic was his area of expertise. She didn't have an inkling of what to do when it came to that dreadful subject. Why not give it to someone who knew what they were doing?! Obviously he knew this moment was coming why hadn't they given it to someone else before they'd arrived?! "It'll shield the town making it impossible for anyone to find."

She nodded at the explanation. Despite wanting her to cast the spell, it was a good plan, a good way to keep the town safe, a good way to make sure no one could ever come into the town...

Her thoughts stopped as she processed the words and her mind stumbled across something that made her heart plummet. If he was going and she was staying, a fact she was beginning to accept, and the spell was meant to prevent anyone from finding the town...she stared at him.

This had to be a simple misunderstanding! He had to have some plan! Some answer! Didn't he always?!

Unless this was the reason for that look in his eyes. That look that made her think he was memorizing her face in case he never saw her again...

"But how-how will you find your way back to me?" she asked, trying to do her best to keep her emotions from running away with her. She expected a response, a simple answer for the simple question, just like always. He'd say a few words and she would feel silly for doubting him. But when he looked at David and they exchanged glances that told him to leave the two of them alone she began to panic.

Where was his answer? He always had one! Why didn't he have one now?!

Her chest tightened and her heart felt like it was breaking. He didn't need to say the words, they were written across his face, plain as day. It was her worst fear.

"You're not coming back are you?" she couldn't help her feelings anymore and her voice cracked on the last words. She shook her head because she couldn't believe it, couldn't fathom the idea of never seeing his face again. There was so much they'd never done. There was so much they'd never experienced! He couldn't just leave her like this. It couldn't be the end.

"The prophecy...the boy is my undoing," he informed her delicately.

She had to search her memories, no, not hers, Lacey's memories, in order to figure out the meaning of his statement, but it was there. She could remember him telling her, Lacey, that to live forever didn't mean that he couldn't die and that there was one person who could kill him. Lacey had thought it was Neal...she'd been wrong. Henry was the boy he'd been talking about?!

"But he's also my Grandson," he continued, a look of acceptance and determination on his face, "and I must save him."

She couldn't have planned for this news, not in a million years. He was going to save Henry and he assumed that in saving him he would forfeit is own life. She never would have guessed that he would separate them purposefully knowing that he wouldn't come back. She couldn't ever remember being this sad. She couldn't find the words big enough to describe it. She felt a sudden urge to reach out and force him back to the shop, to keep him close, to prevent him from going. But beneath her urge to protect and keep him close there was something else.

She was suddenly feeling a swell of pride for the man before her. A pride that gave her hope that he was wrong. She knew that there was a time he hadn't felt this way about the child even before learning he was his grandson, and yet here he stood, willing to work with two people he called enemy and risking his own life to insure Henry's safe return. Didn't he see it? The boy had already been the key to his undoing; it just wasn't in the way that he thought. And if the prophecy had already come true then maybe there was hope after all.

"I must do this to honor Baelfire," he whispered. She must have looked resistant; he wasn't just explaining any more, he was trying to make her understand. "He's gone...and I didn't even get the chance to say good-bye."

She had promised herself that she would never be jealous of his son, but it seemed like in her absence and Baelfire's presence he had become the man she always knew that he could be. There was fear on his face but there was a new look that came with it. It was a look that she'd never seen before. It was courage. And as happy as she wanted to be for it she couldn't because seeing that look she knew that she had no choice. She closed her eyes trying to choke back tears, trying to be as brave as he was. She had to let him go.

And she would have to stay behind. He needed her to do this. If she asked he would stay, but if she did that, then she wouldn't be the woman he loved. The woman he needed like no other. Lacey might ask him to stay, but that was why she could never have made him truly happy. She couldn't let him miss the chance to save Henry and honor his son in the process. She took a deep breath. Honor. Not avenge. He really couldn't see that he was a different man already?

"I understand," she tried to smile but she just couldn't. Just because she understood didn't mean it was easy to accept. She was going to cry, there was no way around it, but she wanted to be brave for a moment longer. While she still had him. "But I also know..." she stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders. He still had to learn that he wasn't a monster but it wasn't going to be her that taught the lesson, it would be the boy. "That the future isn't always what it seems," she watched him. It was a lesson she'd learned all too well herself. If someone had told her this was where life would take her, that the beast that took her from her fathers castle would be the greatest love of her life, she would never have believed them. The future wasn't always as clear as they thought, and they were living proof of that...she just wished he'd see it too.

He was sorry he was going to leave her, but he wasn't sorry that he was going. She didn't need to guess at what he was feeling or read his face because she knew that it was the exact same thing that she was feeling. He wasn't going to say good-bye, it was too final, and he wasn't going to tell her he loved her. She wouldn't either. They'd already said it, and besides she didn't need to hear it because she knew it. But there was one thing he wasn't aware of and he couldn't leave without hearing it. She needed it to drive him and motivate him so that he wouldn't resign himself to a future that might not exist. There was something to self-fulfilling prophecies and she needed him to fight against that. Because if there was no him, then there was no her.

"I  _will_ see you again."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't an assumption. And it wasn't an option.

It was an order. And it was one that she expected him to follow. Because if she didn't expect it, then that meant she had to expect a different outcome, and she didn't want to live in the world where that outcome even had a possibility of existing. So she kissed him: madly, deeply, passionately. She put everything she had, everything she was, into that kiss. Her arms were around his neck, holding him as tight against her as she could all the while feeling his arms trying to draw her nearer to him. She didn't care who was watching, or what they would think; for that moment they were the only two people in all of the realms.

She wasn't sure who pulled away first. Maybe they both had, knowing that it had to end somewhere. She saw him glance at her before he closed his eyes again and they rested their foreheads together taking in each other's souls, their very essence, storing up for the long separate journeys ahead. She didn't know where he was going or how long he'd be gone, but she would miss this; miss the way he kissed her, the way he held her, the way they fit together like two puzzle pieces. She knew from experience that she wasn't going to feel whole again until he returned.

She felt herself sniffle and stifled the mournful cry that escaped when she wasn't focusing on it. So she released him. It had to be done. Her cry had not gone unnoticed by him and he was looking at her with a face of deepest regret and guilt, knowing that he was breaking her heart yet again. She didn't want to risk having him change his mind because of that. The plan was solid, they just needed to be brave enough to act on it. So she glanced up at him and smiled. Though sad and pained at their separation, she wanted to remember the look of courage the most. It truly was the most amazing transformation she had ever witnessed, she wasn't sure if anyone else would believe it, or if anyone would ever see it the way that she did. Where a cowardly beast had once stooped at the idea of sacrifice, now a courageous hero stood proud ready to leave everything behind for the notion.

She couldn't be prouder of the man she saw. And that fact only made her want to cry tears of joy instead of the sad ones coming on now. But, no matter which tears she would shed, she had to leave before that happened. She could already see his gathering when she turned away from him to go. But it wasn't her opinion of him that mattered at the moment. He needed that reminder, he needed to know. She turned back, fighting to hold in her tears at the sight of him. "Baelfire would be..." she swallowed hard, losing her battle, "would be very proud of you."

He nodded, and she saw the same battle raging inside of him at her words. She knew, as much as it hurt her to leave, it pained him even more to be the one sending her away, to be the cause of her suffering. And before she could say something she'd wish she hadn't, or he could do something he'd regret, she turned and walked away, holding her hand to her mouth and doing her best to keep her wretched sobs quiet so he wouldn't hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this chapter feel drawn out and longer than necessary to you? Good! It should. This is another one of the those chapters where I really tried hard to master the idea of making it as painfully slow for the readers as I felt it was for Belle and Rumple. If it felt long and you just wanted to say "get it over with! But don't!" then my work here is finished! Or...well...I guess it's actually to be continued!
> 
> Thank you for your review on the last chapter Oncer4Life69Dearie! I'm glad you like it! Don't worry, there is more "Belle dealing with Lacey" stuff to come, in good ways and in bad. There was just too much going on in these chapters for her to do it so wait for a bit and you'll see that resolution! I promise not to leave you hanging the way A&E did! Peace and Happy Reading!


	4. Strength or Not

She couldn't bear to let him see just how upset she was, but that didn't mean that she was going to let him out of her sight. Not yet. She refused to give him up one second earlier than she had to. So she walked back to a distant part of the dock, where she was sure that he would have to work hard to find her among the pillars of wood sunk into the bay. She'd managed to get a hold of her tears when they'd said their good-bye's, but only just barely. And now she stood, letting the tears freely fall from her eyes, roll down her cheeks and splatter against the wood beneath her feet as she watched.

Things aboard were calm for a moment, the diverse members of the ships new crew standing around something she couldn't quite make out. Then, suddenly they broke up, the earth seemed to ripple with something, magic maybe, there was a loud rushing noise, and a gust of wind...but even among the chaos she never lost sight of him. She watched with bated breath as everyone braced themselves as the ship began her voyage. There was something in the water, it seemed like it was sucking them in, and she could see him using all of his strength to hold onto a rope among the churning and raging sea. The current seemed to swirl and she suddenly realized what was happening. A whirlpool had formed out of nowhere. The portal. That must have been what it was. They'd created a portal with the other bean, it was the only logical explanation, and now they were heading straight for it. The ship was in it. Before her eyes the ship seemed to give a small leap against the lip of it, before disappearing down into the sea like water down a drain. Then, with a silent pulse, the water calmed instantly and unnaturally.

It had all happened so fast she couldn't quite believe it. She stared out at the ocean searching for some sign of them, for some sense that something had gone wrong or right or anything! But there was nothing. The ship was gone. And so was he.

It took a moment to sink in, the fact that he was gone. But when it did it hit hard. Her chest heaved; it felt like her insides were melting. There was a pain in her chest, and it was so extreme it felt worse than leaving him, worse than every wrong thing he'd ever said, even worse than getting shot. The tears in her eyes clouded her vision as she fought the urge to scream, to stay on her own two feet and not collapse where she was. She didn't feel whole, not anymore. She felt shattered, broken, torn in half. Half of her was here and the other half he had taken with him…wherever they'd gone.

It was the most intense feeling she'd ever felt in her life. She could feel her chest working up the beginning of her heart-broken sobs, she could fight to hold them in but what was the point really? Why bother? It wasn't as if anyone would see her this way.

But she'd barely had the thought when she felt the wood below her feet vibrate and heard the stampeding of what sounded like dozens of footsteps behind her. What was happening now? Why was it happening now? No matter what problem the town was facing, it was too late! The heroes they were looking for had gone and she didn't feel like she had the strength to help anyone. Not now. Not now that she'd just lost him, again. Not now that she couldn't be certain if he was ever coming back to her. Maybe she could leave before they found her, sink down somewhere and just be alone to gather her thoughts.

"They did it!" she heard someone shouted as she turned to go. There was no time. They were coming for her, life was continuing, whether she wanted it to or not. She'd have to face it eventually, maybe so long as she did, she could hold off this terrible hole in her heart. "They saved us!" The voice belonged to Dreamy. Grumpy?  _Leroy._  His Storybrooke name jumped out of her head without a conscious choice to summon it. Leroy…the town drunk. She knew it, but the voice that informed her of this, the tone of it, wasn't hers. It was Lacey's. It appeared there would be consequences from her short time as her cursed personality. But other than names and small pieces of common knowledge, or town gossip, she didn't know what else to expect.

She'd barely turned when she saw a small crowd of people gathered around her. Leroy and Tom Clark she knew, the other men she knew only as the dwarves. Archie Hopper, the town psychiatrist. She'd only ever known him as Jiminy, the cricket she'd saved from Hooks ship. Mother Superior, the Blue Fairy. It was the same group she'd been with at the funeral and her eyes automatically sought out the comforting face of Ruby, but she wasn't with them. Her heart fell, if she wanted to see anyone right now, besides Rumpelstiltskin, it was Ruby.

"They did save us, didn't they?" Leroy clarified, watching her, expecting an answer. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Her throat was tight from the tears she'd shed and the ones that were still threatening to pour out of her eyes. What was she supposed to say anyway? She was still trying to put everything that had happened in the last hour together, despite not wanting to look back on what had happened as Lacey. "Tears of joy?" Leroy asked, obviously confused by her silence. She wished they were tears of joy. They should have been tears of joy and they might have been, if only she'd been on that boat with him.

"Belle, what is it?" Archie ask a little more gently. "Are you okay?"

Whether he'd read her face or her silence she wasn't sure, but he, and Mother Superior for that matter, both seemed to recognize that something was wrong. But their minds were thinking the worst. They were thinking they were still in danger in some way, that someone was dead, or worse that they hadn't really stopped the destruction of town and they'd all be dead.

"What happened?" Mother Superior asked in a voice that was more desperate than caring. But she couldn't really blame the woman. She had to get a grip, whether she liked it or not. She was the only one left in town to tell them what had happened, what was going on, and whether they were safe or not, her silence wasn't going to help anybody. "Where is everyone?" Superior asked.

"They stopped the self-destruct device," she explained. She was trying to be reassuring, but as she said the words she couldn't help but think of his own when he'd told her the news. Her memories were not helping the tears she was fighting off at the moment. "Those people who came, Greg and Tamara..." she went on quickly, straining her memory for names and events, putting them together with the brief conversation she'd been present for before he disappeared so that it made sense in a way, "they kidnapped Henry and they took him through a portal." Henry. Neal's son. Rumple's Grandson. Thinking of the boy that way was going to take some getting used to.

Jaws dropped around her as the small group looked around trying to understand just as she was what had happened. "A portal to where?" Superior asked in a serious authoritative voice, as if she could help if only she knew where they had gone. She couldn't, even if she did know, Rumple had more or less told them all it just wasn't possible.

"I-I don't know," she explained in a frustrated voice, "everyone else followed them on Hook's ship." She could hear the tears in her voice. She wished she knew where he'd gone, where they'd all gone. She wished the Blue Fairy could help. She wished that she could help. But she knew deep down, there was no hope of any of that. The only one that was capable of tracking Henry was Rumpelstiltskin, and he was gone. Without her.

"Why'd you stay behind?" Leroy asked.

She had to fight another wave of sorrow as he said the words. "Because I had to," she insisted, hoping they didn't think she would ever stay behind willingly. She wanted nothing more than to be on that ship. The small reminder that she wasn't hurt. It made that small hole in her heart, the one she was trying to ignore, burn.

She reached into her pocket and retrieved the small scroll of paper that he'd left in her possession. She'd forgotten the hard object that she'd felt within it before and with a small squeeze and shake of the paper it slid free. A small vile, containing a liquid tinged with purple fell into her fingers and she showed it to the crowd, knowing what it was. A potion, one she'd no doubt need to cast the spell. When she glanced down at the paper she only had to read a line or so of the language to know that it was exactly what he'd told her it was.

This was it. This tiny bottle was why he'd left her behind. There was the smallest flicker of anger beneath her sadness. It was here. All set and ready to go. She suspected he'd grabbed the scroll before they'd left for the docks, before he even knew what was happening. Why couldn't they have just dropped it off with someone else? If it had been this easy they could have handed it to anyone before they'd arrived?

She sniffled again, trying still to hold back tears. There really was no reason for her to have this. She'd never cast a spell before, magic was his craft not hers, and there were other people who could do this better than she could. Like the Blue Fairy for instance, who stepped forward the moment she tilted the paper in her direction.

"It's a cloaking spell," she announced to the group, correctly identifying the magic. It was only more proof. She belonged on that ship, not here. "Why?" Superior asked her desperately trying to understand. But it was silly to ask her. She was still trying to understand herself.

"Because Rumple said..." even saying the name hurt, but she had to get through this. It was the last piece of the puzzle for them, if she could say what she needed to then it only took her one step closer to a private place where she could breakdown away from their eyes. She had to get the words out. "He said 'others were coming,'" she confirmed after a deep breath. There was a unanimous gasp that seemed to roll over the group. She wasn't sure what "others" they were talking about. She wasn't sure who Greg and Tamara were either. Her last few days were a haze of dreadful, confusing, self-centered memories that left her with nothing. She hoped they at least knew who the "others" were. But then again, judging by their responses, they had some idea of what was going on, and it wasn't good.

There was silence for a moment, when she wished that Superior would just take the potion and that group would move on to cast the spell, let her grieve in peace, but then Superior stepped forward again and put a hand against her shoulder. "Belle, did he say when they were coming?"

She shook her head, recalling the urgency of his words. "All he said was that the town was no longer safe and to cast the spell as soon as they'd gone." And if she could manage that it would make the town impossible to find, then there was no assurance that he'd ever be able to find the town again, even if the 'undoing' he'd spoken of didn't refer to his life and he lived.

"Well?" Leroy insisted strongly. "What are we waitin' for?!"

Superior looked over the paper and nodded. "The mines," she said turning to the group, "we need to get to the mines. Belle, bring that," she motioned to the bottle in her hand and wrapped a hand around her waist pushing her forward. She wanted to say no. She wanted to give the bottle to the fairy and let them do what they did best. But her legs obeyed the silent command. She didn't have the strength to fight. Without him, she wasn't sure she had the strength for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter exists for two reasons. The first is to begin to get Belle to start using everyone's Storybrooke names instead of their Enchanted Forest names. She now knows Grumpy's real name is Leroy and thinks of him that way, she knows to call Blue Mother Superior, and did anyone notice that she has even finally stopped thinking of Regina as the Evil Queen? That's all because of Lacey's memories. It's a side effect of the curse and we'll see another one in the next chapter. Also, this chapter exists to introduce a new theme into the story. Belle and her strength. Because despite what A&E keep saying that we are going to see how strong she is, I think they do a very poor job of showing it. So, showing how strong Belle is, in more than one way is a task that I have chosen to take on in this series. Now, she doesn't seem too strong now, but that's okay. I think part of strength is sometimes questioning if you have it, being brave and coming out on the other end to find that you were strong and had bravery all along. It'll be an adventure and I hope that I'll do a better job than A&E did!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	5. What She Believed In

The small group headed for some parked cars right next to where they'd left his only moments ago. "Dwarves in the truck!" Leroy commanded in a loud authoritative voice. Ruby once told her that Doc was the leader of the clan, she wasn't really sure she believed that at the moment. It was Leroy that seemed to be the driving force behind them, the one giving the orders, the one they were listening to.

"Belle, Mother," Archie muttered, "I'll drive you. I hope no one minds Pongo."

A glance told her that the Dalmatian was in the back seat, obviously happily reunited with his owner after the fiasco at the town line with Hook. It only seemed like yesterday! But that didn't matter now. What mattered, much her her dissatisfaction, was setting this spell like he wanted too. They'd have to go with Archie and Pongo, one of the women would have to sit with the dog in the back. But with tears still hanging in her eyes she glanced over at the car that he'd left vacant and the small voice in her head, the same one that knew the names and occupations of various town citizens, the voice of Lacey, questioned why she needed to ride in some back seat with a dog.

Because she didn't know how to drive! She knew that answer. She needed a ride because he'd never taught her how to drive a car!

But he didn't have to. At least, not any more.

It was the strangest thing. She knew that she'd never driven in her life, but the false memories she now had in her head told her that she could. Another consequence of the curse? Was it a lie? Could she really drive a car like she'd been doing it her entire life? If this was a normal situation she imagined she wouldn't even dare to try, but considering the fact that the group wasn't going to let her out of their sight and she was desperate to be alone, she was feeling brave enough to try.

"Ah..." she looked into the window of the car, and saw his keys there on the seat, just where he'd left them. "Actually, I'll, I'll follow you," she insisted nervously.

Archie and Superior glanced up at her for a moment, with a disbelieving look. She ignored it, she wasn't in the mood to defend her choices and she didn't think she had it in her to fight back right now. Instead she opened the driver's side door, took the seat that was his, and for the first time in her life started his car. It was remarkable. Her hand reached for the seat belt as if she'd done it her entire life, her foot stepped on the brake without her brain ever having told her to do it, and her hand automatically sought the gear shift. When Archie and Leroy started their own vehicles and pulled out, she followed suit, driving the car perfectly without so much as a hesitation when she reached a stop sign.

She followed them to the mines, but soon realized that she didn't have to. It was as if she had a map in her head now. Though she knew the places she'd been to in town were limited, she had the feeling now that she'd spent time everywhere, and knew how to get anywhere without direction. The roads were no longer a series of confusing twists and turns, they had names, and purposes, and direction. She knew where the schools were, the places to eat, she knew where her fathers shop was, the quickest way to get there, and the shortest. She could have found the mines on her own. It was fascinating; and she wasn't sure if she would call these things consequences of the curse, but she wasn't ready to call them perks either. She didn't think she could ever see Lacey in that kind of light.

Nearly there and she had to stifle another cry. She couldn't handle what had happened to her alone. She didn't know how to get through this, how to adjust, how to deal with her alternate personality and what had happened while she'd been in control. She needed him for that, she wanted him for that. But then again, she didn't even know how to deal with the small vial that was residing in her pocket at the moment. She wanted him for that too. They'd been together nearly the entire time, but she felt like they'd been apart ever since that night on the road. They'd finally been together again, they'd gotten all of one hour, and then he'd separated them again. Permanently? No, she couldn't let herself think that. Not right now. Not now that they'd arrived at the mine. She needed to think positively. But that was hard to do when their final moment together kept playing over and over again in the back of her head.

She parked the car and got out quickly, hoping that maybe if she kept moving her dark thoughts wouldn't be able to catch up with her. At least not until she wanted them too.

"Do you have the-"

"Got it!" she pulled the small vial out of her pocket and showed it to Superior as the dwarves led them into the mine. As she fumbled over the rocks, clearly in the wrong shoes for this terrain she caught up with the group. Why were they at a mine anyway? If she had the potion, then why had they come here? Wouldn't anywhere do? Was there more to the spell than she thought? "Can I see that?" she asked, impatiently plucking the paper out of Superiors hands before she could say "yes".

She wasn't sure what she expected. A recipe? Ingredients in strange amounts listed at the top? Numbered steps? It was simply a paragraph. A generic paragraph that could have been read by anyone that spoke this language. It didn't even have her name scrawled at the top in his tidy handwriting. Why was she here? Why couldn't he have given it to someone else before they'd gone to the docks?

"Who exactly does Gold think is coming?" Leroy asked as they made their way deeper into the cavern. Her heart pounded. Didn't they know?! They'd been in the town the past few days! They'd had their memories! They'd understood! She didn't know who these "others" were, she'd been Lacey when this mess was started. She was counting on them to provide that information for her. Didn't they have a clue?! Then again, would it matter after the cloaking spell was cast?

"He didn't say specifically," she answered as she struggled to keep up with them.

"Well, let's not panic," Archie called out behind her. "For all we know, it's a precaution. Right?"

No. It wasn't. She knew him well enough to know that he didn't worry about precautions. His foresight prevented him from wasting his time on something that might happen and helped him channel his strength into what he knew would happen. If he was worried about people coming to town then it wasn't just a concern, people were coming to town. And if they were the people who set the trigger off, people who had worked with Greg and Tamara, people determined to destroy magic and all of them because of their relation to it, then they should be afraid.

"Well, he-he did say they're working with the people who tried to destroy town," she pointed out.

"Can we panic now?" Leroy asked sarcastically as the dwarves picked up their axes from the wall.

"Yeah, sure, maybe, just a little..." Archie responded in a worried voice. She didn't know if that meant they understood now or not. But she was certain there was a threat out there somewhere. Besides, she wanted desperately to believe he wouldn't leave her behind because there was a small chance of danger. He needed her, he'd said it himself, he wouldn't go off without her unless there was no other choice. If the town had been doomed, he'd have taken her with him to keep her alive.

"We'll be fine as long as we get this up in time," she commented as they rounded another corner and she tried not to stumble over the tracks before her. She recognized these walls only too well. It was the same place her father had sent her. Another terrible memory. Would she ever be able to outrun them if he never came back to make more good ones with her? She couldn't think about that now. She couldn't bear it in the middle of all this. Instead she moved off to the side and examined the paper again, looking for a distraction of some kind.

"Careful sister," Leroy muttered as he grabbed her elbow to steady her, "mines are a dangerous place."

She remembered that much. But if mines were so dangerous why had he sent them here? There was nothing in the instructions about a mine. Only…

"Fairy dust!" she blurt out, going over it a second time. Had she missed something?

"It runs through the walls," Superior commented as she suddenly appeared at her side again. "We just need to open up a vein and that'll carry the magic through town," she explained. She had the sudden urge to cry again. She didn't know that. She wouldn't have if they hadn't found her at the docks. What use was she here?

"No time for whistlin' boys," Leroy called out looking at a rock in front of him, "let's get swingin'."

Before she could question what was happening there was the echoing clink of metal on rock as the dwarves swung their picks. She, and Archie and Superior, stood back as sparks and small fragments of rock flew off the boulder.

"Is this fast enough?" she asked, watching the tiny bits and pieces crumble to the ground. It was working, but slowly. At least to her eyes.

"It won't be long," Mother Superior informed her. "Dwarf axes are made of the strongest metal, imbued with a unique kind of magic from out land. They can pulverize anything in a matter of seconds."

"That must've been why Greg and Tamara needed one to activate the diamond," Archie commented. She saw Superior nod out of the corner of her eye to confirm the guess but had to shield her eyes as another spark flashed in front of her. She wanted to help. She wanted to do something other than just stand here holding the paper and potion. After weeks with nothing and days of confusion, she wanted to prove that she was necessary in some way. But she felt useless. She had no idea what she could do. She didn't know how to cast a spell, she didn't know about ingredients or fairy dust, and she couldn't swing an axe! Why hadn't he just taken her with him? Why did she have to be the one to do this?

"Ho!" Leroy called, and the dwarves stepped away from the rock, which now had a visible crack in it. They worked fast. She and Superior stood at the rock as she peered inside of it. It was dark, but she could see something crystallized glowing from within its depths. Was that it? Was that fairy dust? It looked different than what Dreamy, Leroy, had given her so long ago. But that was harvested, she supposed. Was this what it looked like in its raw form? A glance around at everyone told her they were eagerly awaiting her to put the plan into action. She uncorked the vial and gazed down into the rock, her heart pounding.

So this was it. This was what he'd left her behind for. It didn't feel right. She'd hoped, secretly that the moment she enacted the spell she'd understand everything, it would all become clear, and she'd feel like some kind of hero. But she didn't. She felt scared. She felt incompetent. She felt unqualified. Driving a car for the first time was easy. Casting a spell?! She couldn't.

"What is it?" Leroy asked at her elbow, voicing the question she could feel all of them asking in their mind.

She glanced at him. Didn't they know? Just because she was in love with Rumpelstiltskin didn't mean she loved his art, it didn't even mean she knew it as well as he did, or how to do it! "I've never cast a spell before," she admitted, and that all on its own made her the wrong person for this job. She could see it. Why hadn't he?

She turned to Superior, the fairy; the blue fairy! She might not have been qualified, but if anyone in this little group was, it was her. Maybe he hadn't meant for her to cast it. Maybe he'd just wanted her to deliver it to someone who could. That made more sense, but it didn't explain why he hadn't given anyone else with the task before they'd gone. Nearly anyone could have gotten this to her. Then again, she probably wouldn't have needed the potion, she could have probably made it all on her own. "Maybe you should do this," she insisted.

"No," she shook her head. "Mr. Gold entrusted this task to you for a reason. You just need to believe in yourself."

She nodded vigorously and breathed an "okay" but still didn't feel right. They weren't exactly words that she wanted to hear. They were meant to be encouraging, but she wasn't sure if she could believe in herself right now. If he wasn't here, if he wasn't coming back…

No! Thoughts like that weren't going to help this. Before another thought could betray her she upended the contents of the vial into the crack in the rock. Her hands shook as she waited for it to work, for something to happen. It had to work! His plans never let her down before…

But tears flooded her eyes again as nothing happened. It wasn't right. She wasn't right. She'd let him down.

"Might wanna believe a little harder," Leroy told her.

Believe. What was there to believe in? What could she do? She hadn't done anything? She wasn't in a state that made it easy to believe in herself…

But she believed in him.

She may very well have been the only one, but she believed in him. She believed in what he could do, she believed in what they could do together. She believed that no matter what he loved her more than any other person on this earth now that Bae was gone. She believed he would never leave her in danger, never risk her life again. Whether she'd understood it or not, he'd left the scroll and its contents for a reason, just as Superior said. Which meant that he not only wanted her to do this, but believed she could do this. No, she might not believe in herself right now. But she believed in him. She believed that he believed in her. And that was more than enough for her to believe that she could do this.

A loud burst made everyone jump as a bright foggy magic, that same shade of light purple that she'd just poured into the stone jumped into the air and began racing through the tunnels. "That's it! You did it!" Archie exclaimed as they all watched it soar over their heads.

Had she done it? Was that all? She wasn't sure what it was, but she found herself moving around the crowd and hurrying out of the mine as fast as her shoes would allow her. She didn't know what she was looking for, what she was searching for, but she needed to get outside. Her heart pounded faster as the cavern began to lighten and the brightness of the day greeted her at the exit. She had to shield her eyes as she reemerged, but when they adjusted and she looked to the sky her jaw dropped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Belle cast her first spell! And it won't be her last in this series trust me! So, I'm updating the A/N in this chapter because obviously you have noticed by now that one of the perks of being Lacey is that Belle can magically drive a car. Long ago when I was writing MH&U I decided to have her drive the car because she seemed to be getting around on her own just when Ariel came to town and I didn't want them to be walking everywhere. So I made a leap. In season 4 that leap was finally confirmed when we saw Belle driving a car! Boom! I love it when I win!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	6. The Best Defense is a Good Offense

There was a bright white light of some kind shooting into the air. At its highest point it seemed to fall down as if it was water from a fountain, creating a dome directly over top of them. Although she couldn't prove it, she knew that the dome was the exact perimeter of the town. She couldn't identify what she was seeing and she didn't really even know how to describe it, but she knew that she'd done her job right. Without explanation or doubt, she knew that she'd cast the cloaking spell and at that very moment the town was once again sealing itself off and becoming invisible again to the outside world just as it had been before the curse broke. She didn't know how, or why, but one way or another she'd been successful...now what?

"Does that mean it's workin'?" she glanced behind her to find that Leroy and the others were pouring out of the mine shafts stumbling over each other as they met the same strange light she had.

"Yes," Superior responded for her. "That's it. That's what a cloaking spell of this magnitude should look like." She should have smiled. This was good news but she couldn't bring herself too. The two of them had done this. It had taken them both to protect the town. But was this their final act? Had she just shut him out of the town for good? How was he supposed to get back to her now if the town was impossible for anyone to find? How was she supposed to live with herself for the rest of her life knowing that even if he survived she might have just created the chasm that separated them again? If he survived…

"Belle?" Archie was smiling down at her, but it wasn't genuine. It was a forced sympathetic smile, like he knew the thoughts in her head but couldn't help her around them.

"Is that it?!" Leroy shouted breaking their silent musings. "Is that all we have to do?"

A glance at the clear sky told her the spell was complete. What now? He hadn't left her instructions for what to do next. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face what was next or how to begin. She didn't know the first thing about magic or spells…but she did understand invasion.

Her whole life she'd been raised to lead people through hard times, through war and battle. Well, she'd been raised to stand behind Gaston as he did it, to be precise, but she'd lurked around her father's castle, listening in on their conversations, enough to know how to do it herself. If this was a war, what would her first action be then? The boundaries. They had to be sure the boundaries were secure, that they'd cast the spell in time and no one had gotten in.

"We have to check the town line," she informed them. "We won't be able to be sure no one crossed but we can make sure that everything looks normal. It isn't much but it's the best we can do." It would be impossible to tell if anyone had crossed the lines, that knowledge would only come with time, but checking the town line would be simple enough…so long as no one got shot and accidentally crossed this time.

"Leave it to us, sister," Leroy jumped into action. "Let's go boys, into the truck," one by one the seven men filed past her and headed for the truck bed again. "It's off to work we go," Leroy muttered as he followed suit and pulled open the driver's side door. "Where should we meet you afterwards?"

Afterwards? Meet her?! She hadn't thought that far ahead yet. But she supposed it made sense. Troops always had a base camp to report back to. This might not have been war, precisely, but if something had gone wrong she didn't know who else would need to know about it. There was no mayor around, no police any more. There was nowhere else for them to go if they found something but back to her. So where should they meet her? "The library," she blurt out. It was the only sensible place to go in her mind. "We'll wait for you at the library."

Leroy nodded. "You want help?" Archie called out over the hum of the motor. Motor, gear shift, brake…it appeared Lacey had also increased her vocabulary. But once more, she wasn't sure if she was ready to say it was a consequence yet. For now it was just strange to have the words in her head.

Leroy turned down the help Archie offered. He and Superior piled back into his car with Pongo as she returned to Rumple's and agreed to go straight to the library. There was no need to tell the town about what was happening just yet. Why worry them more than they had to? Why panic them if there was nothing to panic about?

By the time they pulled into the parking lot the sun was already setting. She grabbed his keys and tossed them into her pocket. Her set was missing, and although she really wasn't ready for any of Lacey's memories in any magnitude, she did remember the moment that she'd left the purse that contained all her possessions in the hospital. Lacey had assumed that it belonged to Belle and hadn't wanted it. Her head spun at the concept. She was right, but she'd been wrong also. She'd have to correct that later, somehow. With any luck the hospital held onto the purse or he'd taken it and stashed it somewhere for her. For now it didn't matter. Everything she needed was on his key chain.

Her apartment, the library, his shop, his car, the house, they were all hers now. He hadn't given them to her, he hadn't said "keep these safe for me", but what else was she supposed to do? He never trusted anyone the way he had her, and she figured he'd cringe at the idea of someone else looking after his property. Frankly, somehow that possessive nature had worn off on her as well, and the idea of giving it to anyone else for safe-keeping seemed unimaginable. Who would guard his life better than she would? She'd protect it. She'd keep it safe. At least until…until…he shook her head at the invading thoughts. She'd keep it until he returned and if that meant she held onto them until she was old and gray, so be it.

The three of them, and Pongo, who Archie said couldn't sit in the car any more, huddled into the front of the library as she found the familiar light switches. She faced an entirely different feeling standing in her beloved home again. Neglect. It had suffered while she'd been "gone" as Rumple had so easily put it. Not much of course. But the lights did groan in a way that made her think they had to work to turn themselves on again after such a long break. There was a thin layer of dust that taunted her, eating away at her soul. She couldn't help it, she was a caretaker wasn't she? When she saw dust, her first instinct was to pick up a rag and start cleaning.

Ignoring her outfit, and the tense looks that Superior and Archie were casting to each other as they waited, she went into the supply closet retrieved her tools and set to work scrubbing down the counter. Hard work always had been decent distraction for her. It appeared at least that hadn't changed so the least she could do was-

"Belle, Belle," she felt arms at her shoulders. Archie. "Now might not be the best time for that." He didn't understand. Rumple would have. He never particularly cared for that nervous habit she'd developed, but it was more because it reminded him of a past he'd rather forget than anything else. He wouldn't have liked it, but he would have understood it and let her work through it.

Archie, on the other hand, tried his best to slip the rag gently out of her shaking hands as she realized that she was fighting to hold back her tears again. It didn't matter. Cleaning wouldn't help. It wouldn't bring him back. And it seemed abundantly clear that right now, he was the only thing that she really needed. She was broken, but there was no one that knew how to pick up the pieces and put them back together. "That's good," Archie cooed when he finally pulled the cloth free of her fingers, which had resisted its loss just as much as she'd resisted the loss of him. "Now, why don't you take off your coat," he suggested in a friendly encouraging tone, "stay awhile."

"I, uh..." she swallowed back her tears and took a seat at the chair she kept by her desk, "I'd rather not." She knew what was under the coat, or better yet, she knew what wasn't under the coat. The embarrassment of how many people had seen her this way to begin with was too much, she wasn't about to add to that in a time when she felt she was so fragile the slightest look of shock, the slightest suggestion of it, on either of their faces would have done her in for good.

Fortunately it was at that moment that the dwarves burst into the library. "Boarders of Storybrooke are clear-"

"Except for one-"

"Something happened at one-"

"What are we supposed to do now-"

"-one had a problem-"

"Wait, wait," she flew out of her seat and held up her hands to the group who were all talking too fast and all at once to really understand. But she'd picked out a few words, enough to ice her blood. "Clear." "Problem." "One." She needed one story not seven. She needed one person at the moment, but that didn't mean she was going to get him. And stray thoughts like that weren't going to help this situation. She needed to get a grip, to focus on what was going on right in front of her. "One at a time," she muttered just as much to herself as to them. Focus on the problem now. Fall to pieces later. "What happened?"

"The town lines seem secure," Leroy offered.

"But there was something at the last one," Tom warned.

"A bumper," Leroy stated.

"A bumper?"

"Yeah, like from a car. Looked like it'd been sliced clean off." A bumper from a car? How could that have gotten there?

"Well," she thought back to the night of the crash, to the car the doctors had said hit her, but as it turned out hadn't. But if her memories were right there had still been a crash. "Could it be debris left over from the accident?"

"That was a long time ago, sister." A long time ago? Yes, she supposed it was, but to her it still felt real as if it had all happened yesterday.

"And it's from the wrong border," another added.

"Yeah, and Greg was from Pennsylvania. The license plate said Minnesota," Clark added. Minnesota. It wasn't gibberish to her any more. She knew what it was and where it was located, which happened to be far from Storybrooke, Maine. Why would anyone from Minnesota come here? What more did these "others" want with the town? And more importantly, had they succeeded in getting across the town line or failed.

"Was it the front bumper or the back?" She wanted them to say front. She wanted for the strangers to have been stopped in their tracks by the protection spell and turned around.

"Can't tell," Leroy shrugged, "I'm not a mechanic. And it was across the town line so we couldn't get to it." She felt her belly drop at the words. That was the exact opposite of what she wanted to hear. If it had been the front bumper the scenario in her head told her that it would have fallen onto to Storybrooke bounds. They'd have been able to retrieve it. But if it was outside, well that suggested something entirely different. The picture in her head changed, to a strange car driving through the town line just in time to avoid the spell, their back bumper not quite making it over and being shut out as the strangers should have been.

There were people in town. How many? Who were they? More importantly, how did they find them? They had no idea what they looked like and they couldn't very well go through town knocking on people's doors, asking if any strangers had shown up or if anyone noticed someone didn't belong! That would cause a riot! And with Rumple and Regina gone they couldn't use magic to locate them. Besides, they couldn't even be sure they had made it in! The evidence would suggest they had but she wasn't there? For all they knew that bumper could have been sitting there for years! There was no need to panic the town. It would only cause more chaos. No, they best thing to do was act as if nothing had changed around the others.

"Okay. For now…" now what? What did they do? Where did they go? She didn't know how to take care of a town?! War, she reminded herself, she could take care of the threat of war. "For now, let's be sure there are guards at the town line, just to be safe. If anyone should try and enter Storybrooke, or leave it, let me know. Until then let's not cause riots in the streets. Let the town find out slowly what had happened. Don't lie if they ask you but don't offer the information to anyone that doesn't need to know right away. The best thing we can do is keep everyone calm," maybe then, when word got out that everyone was gone, and she knew it would, they'd realize that they'd been fine all along and would continue to be. But what about the strangers? What if it wasn't a fluke and they had gotten into town?

They needed a plan. A back-up plan. Just in case the town wasn't as secure as they wanted it to be. Rumple and Regina were gone, but they still had the Blue Fairy. She turned to Mother Superior behind her, who was listening to her words with rapt interest. "Is there a spell? A potion? Anything that might help us find someone who doesn't belong?"

She swallowed and nodded her head nervously without conviction "I can work on it."

Leroy snorted. "No offense, Mother, but if it takes half as long as it took to fix the memory problem, it won't matter-"

"Which is why," she raised her voice, stopping the ensuing fight before it could even begin, "we are Storybrooke's best defense right now. Keep calm, but keep your eyes open! Stick to your normal routines, but be on the lookout for anyone that doesn't belong, people asking for directions, a place to stay, things they should know but don't, and a car that's missing a bumper. No one knows this curse better than us. If we work together then we'll be alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's our girl, taking charge in the way that so many wanted to see her! I'm so happy with how this chapter came out, it makes up for the first couple of bad ones in my opinion. I hope that you'll agree!
> 
> Thank you to Oncer4Life69Dearie for your comments on the last chapter! Stay tuned ya'll! We've got Lacey drama up ahead! Peace and Happy Reading!


	7. Seeking Shelter

There was quiet in the room as they realized she'd finished her impromptu speech. Then they glanced around at each other for a moment before Leroy nodded.

"Dwarves will take the first watch at the town line tonight."

"I'll get back and tell the other fairies. Don't worry," Blue assured her as she opened her mouth to offer another warning, "they're trust worthy. I'll make sure not to set off a panic."

It happened too fast, almost too easily, one by one the dwarves filed out the door. Archie volunteered to drive Mother Superior back to the convent since he wanted to go check on Marco and August. He drew her attention back to him with a touch of the elbow and asked if she'd be okay, if she needed anything.

It was funny how upset such a kind gesture could make her. It seemed like only yesterday she'd gone to his funeral, that she'd regretted not getting to know him while he'd been alive. They hadn't had any interaction since that day, and while she was glad for that, she was also upset because she knew why they hadn't. If she'd been herself she would have sought him out, befriended him, she just didn't have the opportunity until now. And, now that she was in a position to accept his help, she didn't want it. She didn't want anything right now. The emotions she'd felt at the docks suddenly began to cascade through her body again, held off temporarily by the urgency of the cloaking spell. But this time, she knew there would be no holding them back. She wasn't going to make it much longer and she didn't want anyone to see her demise.

"Thank you, but, um, I'm-I'm fine for now," she told Archie. Lacey's clever, but unnerving, definition of "fine" crept into her mind from the shadows she'd cast it to. Freaked out. Insecure. Neurotic. Emotional. Much as she hated to admit it, that definition felt dead on at the moment. "I'm fine," she repeated as she attempted a smile, but couldn't quite manage, and had the sense Archie knew it was fake. Still, she was thankful he didn't say anything about it. Just gave her elbow a gentle, encouraging squeeze, offered a supportive smile, and with a "call if you need anything" disappeared with Mother Superior into the dark unknown night.

And she was alone.

Again.

Completely, utterly alone.

The door barely closed before she felt the tears spill out of her eyes. She didn't try to hold them back this time. She didn't try to stop them. Instead, all she did was walk to the door, lock it, and make it as far as the circulation desk before her legs gave out from under her and she crumpled in a heap on the floor. The cold lifeless sobs wracked her body as the memories she didn't want, the memories she didn't need in a time like this, took over her mind. The way she'd stolen clothes. The way she'd dressed in those clothes! The Rabbit Hole. The fights. Worst of all...Keith. She recognized him now. That sheriff, the one they'd met as they searched for Robin Hood, the one that would have happily taken her against her will as payment for information! The one he'd saved her from. And yet, she-Lacey, she'd…he'd…they'd almost…

Her stomach gave a violent lurch and she only just barely made it up and to the bathroom before she emptied the contents of her stomach. Not that there was much to empty. She'd only eaten a bagel that morning, or Lacey had, but she'd had more than enough alcohol; enough to know, in hindsight, that driving on her own to the mine was a stupid thing to do. It must have been sheer luck that she'd been as in control of herself as she had been. Or adrenaline. Lacey might have thought her body was accustomed to that much liquor but her body hadn't been hers! The reason she'd woken up hung over the last two days wasn't because she needed to rebuild her tolerance, it was because she'd never had it in the first place!

She shook her head as she leaned against the bathroom wall, her body still making the sounds and actions of crying long after she had no more tears to shed. Lacey's memories were bad, but they weren't the worst thing circulating through her mind now.  _"You're not coming back, are you?" "The prophecy. The boy is my undoing, but he's also my grandson, and I must save him. I must do this to honor Baelfire. He's gone, and I didn't even get to say good-bye." "You're not coming back, are you?"_

The conversation played on an endless loop in her mind. She'd been proud when he'd said that. Proud of the man that he'd become, the one he had never thought himself capable of being. She was still proud, but it was hard to carry that pride when she had no idea whether or not she'd ever be seeing him again. His undoing. At the time she believed that it wasn't his death, only his personality. The boy had changed him from a man hellbent on saving himself to a man willing to forfeit his own life, he'd been undone! But what if he wasn't wrong. What if he wasn't coming back?

The possibility was too unthinkable to even consider.  _"The future isn't always what it seems. I will see you again."_ Those words had been so easy to say when he'd been standing in front of her, when she'd kissed him and considered the long journey the pair had taken to get to that spot. But now that he was gone there was no one to protect her from an outlandish imagination. There was no one to be strong or optimistic for. How did he expect her to go on without him? How did he expect her to live if he-

No!

She didn't know where the sudden flicker of hope and reform came from, but it calmed the churning ocean of darkness she was drowning in and allowed her to at least feel like she was managing to keep her head above water. But only just barely. He believed in her. He'd believed that she could cast the spell, even if he wasn't there to help. She had to believe in him, she had to believe that he could succeed, that he could save Henry, and make his way back to her. And what would he find when he did? What would she say? That she broke without him? That she lost all hope and cried on the bathroom floor?! No. She'd want to say she knew he could do it. She'd want to say that she never for a second believed that he wasn't coming back to her.

It wouldn't be easy to pick herself up off the ground and exist without him. It wouldn't be easy to keep those terrible thoughts away. But she had to fight them, or she had to at least try. She pushed herself up on shaky legs, but felt as if the small bit of courage she'd managed to scrounge up stayed there on the floor. Trying to be strong, not to cry, or tear up again, she began. One foot. And another and another. Before she knew it, she was walking. Out of the bathroom. Through the empty rooms of her cherished library. Up the stairs. Over the landing. And she stopped.

Her hand stilled on the knob of her apartment. She knew what was on the other side. Reminders. Not sweet ones of the two of them. But terrible reminders of how she'd been as Lacey. How she'd treated him. The things she'd said. The property she'd destroyed. She was trying. She was putting up a fight to stay whole and strong. But just the feel of the metal under her hand threatened to break her. One step at a time. One day at a time. She couldn't do what she wasn't strong enough to do. And there was no need to force herself when the memories were still too raw and painful.

She pulled her shaking hand away from the door. She couldn't do it. She wasn't ready. She could barely face the events of today, the events of the last week were something she wasn't prepared for. It was too much. She turned on her heel and sped back down the steps and through the rooms, not even bothering to turn the lights off as she went. The only thing she gave a second thought to was to lock the library doors. If there were strangers in town, she didn't want to make it easy for them. But if she wasn't staying here, then where was she going? She looked at the keys he had left in her possession. The library and the apartment were out. The idea of going to the shop made her muscles tense and the thought of going back to his house, without him, made her want to cry again.

Options, she needed options. She could call Archie, but he'd already gone home, and her phone, like her purse, had been left behind at the hospital. That was one place she was certain she'd never go again. Everything that had happened to her there was just too painful. Her father? No. She knew of his shop now, Game of Thorns, and her alternate personality knew how to get there. But she couldn't be sure that he would still be there! Besides, she hadn't seen her father since that day at the mine, and she really doubted that any conversation the two of them could have at this moment would be helpful or comforting. He'd only think it was good Rumple had left her behind and she was in no mood to hear that right now. But who else was left?!

Ruby. Ruby was left. She wasn't sure where her friend had been today, the last time she'd seen her had been one of the visits she'd paid her in the hospital. But Ruby had single handedly gotten her through the last time she'd been without Rumple, and she was one of the few people in town that she never had to explain herself too when it came to her mischievous partner. And thinking of telling Ruby everything that had happened in the last few days was the first time she felt a swell of peace.

Without another questioning thought she set off down the street. A glance inside the diner told her it was closed, after everything that had happened she couldn't be surprised. But fortunately for her, if the dinner was out of the question then she knew where to look next. The Bed and Breakfast. If Ruby wasn't there, well then she didn't know where else to look for her.

"Ruby?" she called as she let herself into the front of the house, hoping the girl was around and would answer her calls. "Ruby?!"

"Belle?!" Granny stood in the kitchens threshold, her arms crossed and her face stern as ever but still managing to look surprised at her late night visit. "Or is it Lacey?" the woman asked suddenly, her gaze becoming suspicious. She hadn't meant for the comment to be mean. The woman was frank and she always stated exactly what was on her mind, but she was never cruel, at least not to her. Still that didn't keep the word from putting tears in her eyes. The dwarves, Mother Superior, Archie, they hadn't seen her as Lacey, not even Ruby had seen her as Lacey, but Granny had. Although it would have appeared she didn't know it at the time, obviously someone had informed her. Obviously, as she'd feared, and Lacey had hoped, word had made it around town. And it was amazing how determined tears could be to fall when their owners were trying to fight them at every thought.

Suddenly the old woman gave the smallest twitch of her lip that would have qualified for a happy smile if she ever made such a face. She looked her up and down and took in the expression on her face before she finally muttered, "Belle then." She was suddenly very happy she'd put two and two together on her own and she didn't have to be the one to correct her. She didn't know if she could talk about Lacey in any capacity right now. "Ruby's not here," Granny informed her.

"Where-where can I find her? Please, I need to talk to her."

"She's at the hospital."

Her heart leapt into her throat. The hospital? What was she doing there? What happened? "Is...is she hurt? Why is she-"

But the woman was already calmly shaking her head at the assumption. "She fine." She breathed a sigh of relief, but still didn't understand why she'd gone there as the town had fallen to pieces. "But you on the other hand," Granny continued on, "you look like you could use a drink."

A drink? A drink?! A drink was the last thing she needed! That was the last thing she wanted. And she really didn't want this woman who had been nothing but sweet to her to picture her like that ever again. "I can't...I don't-I don't want...that. I just-"

"Belle..." Granny sighed. "I meant some tea," she clarified, looking her over as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world. For the first time since he'd gone, she felt the small trace of a genuine smile fight its way out of her. Tea. Yes, that was something she did need right now. She needed to be herself again in only the smallest way and if she couldn't have him, and if she couldn't talk to Ruby, tea would be a welcome friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know that this chapter seems dark and depressing and I'm not going to lie the next one kinda is too but really I felt as though I didn't really have a choice. Not if I want to keep this thing realistic and in character because the truth of the situation is that things kinda suck for Belle right now. She's just been through this terrible horrible experience and then to top it all off Rumple leaves. She's a person, a real life human being, and when things suck, she's going to break a little and sometimes even a lot. Now the good news is that there is a resolution coming. Granny is going to be giving her some tough love in the next chapter but after that Ruby will be back because in the world of Fanfiction it doesn't matter if MO is off filming something new and exciting, here Ruby exists and I hope that you will coming to appreciate what I do with her character to explain her absence.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	8. Tough Love

Granny led her into the kitchen and she took a seat at the table. While she prepared them some tea she explained that Ruby had gotten a call from Ashley Boyd just after the first earthquake hit town. The young mother had been home alone with the baby and fallen down a flight of stairs. The baby was fine, still asleep in her crib when it happened, but Ashley had broken her leg and Ruby had gone to the rescue before they knew what the shocks really were or what they meant. She was at the hospital with the family now, making arrangements for the coming days when Sean, Ashley's husband, went back to work and Ashley would have to be off her feet. She was happy that Ruby was alright, and whoever Ashley was for that matter, but her heart sank at the news. That situation took precedent over her own. She'd have to find Ruby and talk to her some other time about everything that had happened.

Granny set a cup of glorious tea in front of her and took the seat next to her with her own steaming mug. "So," she went on, "you want to tell me what the hell happened to you over the past few days?" No. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to think about it. She wished none of this had ever happened in the first place! All she wanted was to go back to that day Hook had stolen the shawl and warn herself what was coming! How much of what had happened could have been prevented if they could do that one night over again?!

No. She didn't want to talk about it, but it appeared her brain had other plans. Instead of opening her mouth to take a sip of tea, the truth seemed to pour out of her endlessly. Word after word, day after day. She told Granny what had happened. On the road, at the hospital. With Ruby and with Greg and with Rumpelstiltskin. She told her about Regina, and how she'd taken away the little life she'd begun to put together and replaced her with the woman called Lacey. She confessed until her stomach turned again, everything that she'd done as her false self, all the crimes she'd committed, and everything that she'd wanted to do. She explained how he'd brought her out of it, her memories of how the town was saved. She was proud that she didn't cry when she explained how everyone had gone away, the words came too fast for that, and she barely had a moment to catch her breath, or censor her story, or think about what she was saying!

But Granny didn't seem to mind. She listened diligently with that same hardened face as she finished with the cloaking spell, and the possibility that there were strangers in the town. She trusted Granny. She knew that she wouldn't start a riot or share the information with anyone else. She was just one more pair of eyes and ears, a valuable pair since Granny's Diner was so popular. And she knew Ruby would be the same, just as soon as she saw her and could finally tell her what had happened! Her stomach clenched again. She'd have to share this tale all over again. Maybe it would get easier each time she did. But she doubted it would.

"Well," Granny sighed as she finished, "sounds like you've had a hell of a week." She snorted at the response. Yes, a 'hell of a week' was one way to put it, a way that Lacey would probably be proud of. "But fortunately for you, when it comes to the first problem, you're in a town that will be nothing but sympathetic to living a life that wasn't yours."

She hadn't thought of that. She wasn't the only one to have ever been someone they weren't. She wasn't the only one to have to live with choices and actions that someone had forced her body to do. In fact, until Lacey, she'd been the only one in town that hadn't had to deal with it! She was like everyone else now, two voices, two personalities, one body. She just wished she knew how to deal with it. Especially without him.

"And the other..." she muttered, her voice scratchy and aching from telling such a long detailed story around a hard lump in her throat. "How am I supposed to handle the, uh, 'second problem'?" she asked.

"Well, unfortunately for you, you're in a town where most people will have absolutely no sympathy for you on that count," she answered honestly. Nothing had changed. He'd gone off to save a little boy, his grandson, and the town still saw him as a monster, a personality that Lacey had only encouraged over the last few days. The last they'd all heard of him would have been the rumors and gossip going around town that without her his nasty habits and ruthless behaviors had begun to return. That was how they'd think of him. Instead of a hero, they'd see the beast. And she would continue to be the outsider among them. Guilty just by association. Only this time, Lacey made her truly guilty...which was why she just couldn't face that apartment and all it's reminders.

"Can I stay here? Please?" she begged the woman by her side. "I can pay you."

"Your money is no good here, you know that."

"Is that a 'yes'?" she asked hopefully. She didn't want to go back to the apartment and she really couldn't think of anywhere else to spend the night. Even with Ruby gone, she'd rather be here, a place that was neutral and unfamiliar than anywhere else.

But the woman was taking her time to answer, looking her over, thinking intensely about something. Did that mean she couldn't stay? Did that mean she didn't want her here? What would she do if she said no? "You can stay the night," she finally answered. "But one night only and it's more to do with your second problem than the first." With that cryptic answer the woman stood up and she followed her out into the hall that contained the front desk where she picked up a key and handed it to her. But before she took it she pulled it away again.

"Just one night," she reminded her, "that's all you get. The rest of us had to deal with our cursed selves whether we wanted to or not, but when we woke up we got the ones we loved back, we didn't lose them, that's the only reason you get a one night pass," she nodded. Hard as it was, she understood the words. And because she'd known Ruby, she knew Granny's particular brand of tough love might not always be pleasant but there was a truthfulness to it that told her whether she liked it or not, there was wisdom to her words. "You get one night to wallow, and tomorrow morning I want to see you back here, ready to pick up the pieces. Because there can't always be someone there to do it for us, sometimes you have to do it yourself."

"I understand," she muttered sadly. In a way, the woman was probably doing her a favor. She had the night to get herself together, to mourn, or grieve, or whatever this situation called for, but she couldn't stay that way forever. Whether the town knew it or not, she'd more or less been put in charge. The dwarves would come to her with news of the town line in the morning. The Blue Fairy might have some idea how to track the strangers. One way or another that sun was going to rise, and the world would spin on whether he was by her side or not. This wasn't a time to be selfish, or to retreat and cry. She'd need to be strong, if only because he expected her to be.

Granny told her if she needed anything she could take it out of Ruby's room before she marched up the stairs to the privacy of her own room. So on her way up she opened Ruby's door and went over to the drawer where she kept the T-shirts that Ruby had once told her "old boyfriends" had given her and pulled one out to sleep in tonight. But before she could leave her eyes stumbled upon a pink plastic bag that made her heart race with excitement.

She sped over to it as fast as she could and when she peered in her eyes found the loveliest thing they could land on. Ruby had gone shopping at some point and she'd bought new under garments and hadn't used them yet, they were still neat and unused in their plastic packaging! It was the one thing that Lacey, embarrassingly enough, hadn't put on that morning, the one thing that she'd wished beyond all hope she'd had! If she had remembered that when she stood outside her apartment it might have been enough to force her inside, but as it was she was just happy she could get a small sense of herself back with this.

Prizes in hand she made a mental note to pay Ruby back, then walked down the hall to the room that Granny had given her, and was hit by a wave of anxiety as she entered. It was the same one Ruby had put her in when she'd left him before. Had Granny done this on purpose? Or was it just a sick joke that fate seemed to be playing on her? Taunting her with?

"Breathe," she reminded herself as she felt tears from old and new wounds collect in her eyes. It was a simple philosophy but about all that she felt capable of living by at the moment. Breathe in. Breathe out. One foot. Then another. Then another. She didn't burst into tears again, but she could feel them hovering there. At first she did her best to stop them, but then wondered why. Granny had said she got one night and one night only to wallow. If this was her only opportunity, she should take it...she would take it.

She made rules. Silly as it sounded, they seemed to help. She could cry. She could miss him. She could worry about him and mourn Baelfire. But she couldn't wonder if she'd ever see him again. She couldn't think about the past and she couldn't think about Lacey. She couldn't let herself think of all the "what ifs". No, she was going to live exclusively in this moment, in this terrible, sad, strange in between moment. She'd get it all out and with any hope by morning, she'd find that she could move on from here as Granny expected her to.

So she cried. She took a shower, washed away the make-up of Lacey and the dust of the mines. She scrubbed sadly away at the places he'd kissed her before they'd gone off to the docks. She cleaned the hairspray out of her hair and brushed through it, unable to see her own reflection through the steam and tears. Without a second thought, she found the clothes she'd taken for the night and slipped them on, finding the shower wasn't nearly as comforting as she'd hoped it would be. Finally she slid between the covers of the strangely familiar bed, and let her sobs wet the pillow beneath her cheek.

Tomorrow she could pretend to be whole. Tomorrow she could give orders. Tomorrow she would face a world he wasn't in. But for tonight, she accepted her brokenness, and wondered if somewhere, in another realm, no matter how far or near, he felt broken too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what do I think strength is? Believe it or not I actually have a Rumbelle/Moments playlist on my ipod and there is a song sung by Oranthi and Lacey Sturm called "Courage" and I always think of this chapter when I hear it. "Courage is when you're in pain but you keep on moving anyway, courage is when you make a change and you keep on living any way...it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get back up!" To me, a strong person isn't someone that ignores the pain or the sadness or the problems they have, but someone who looks them dead in the eye and keeps going. Some of this chapter is actually inspired by my own experience battling depression and anxiety. I had a wonderful counselor who was my "Granny". When I worried she told me that I was allowed to wallow for 24 hours and then I simply wasn't allowed to worry or wallow in it anymore. And when I went through depression and was so far gone I couldn't even feel sad anymore, her advice was to just stick with it. Day in and day out, just follow the schedule, even if it feels empty just keep living life and you know eventually it came back to me. I think Belle has some depression personally and maybe even some anxiety, and who wouldn't after her experience. But she's strong. It kicks her in the butt every time and she still pushes it aside and keeps going for the greater good. I'm Sara West I'm in 21st grade and that's what I think it means to be strong! ::waits for applause::
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	9. Catching Up and Moving On

She greeted the morning with eyes wide open. Not because she'd woken early, but because she'd never actually gone to sleep. She'd cried into her pillow until she didn't have any tears left and when she'd run dry her chest had continue to heave as if she still had tears to cry. She couldn't get comfortable. Sleeping in the middle of the bed seemed like she was preparing herself for him to never return. Sleeping on his side hadn't comforted her in any way, but sleeping on her on her side as she usually would when she wrapped herself around him was nothing but a terrible reminder. In the end she'd curled into a ball, faced away from the empty side of the bed, and practically hugged the side of the too big mattress. At some point in the night she'd stilled; she was exhausted, her body felt heavy, her mind begged for peace, but no matter how sore her eyes got they'd never given into the temptation to sleep.

At first light she sat up, knowing that there was no point in laying back down and trying to pretend like she might finally go to sleep. Granny had given her until morning. Morning had come. It was time to move on. No matter how painful. She stripped the bed to wash the sheets on her own, making Granny do it after she'd let her stay the night seemed like a terrible way to repay her. Even if her hair was still wet from the night before she took another shower, it was just something to do. Finally there was nothing else to do but put that same black dress on again. She could walk down the hall, she could borrow something else from Ruby's closet, but why bother. She couldn't avoid it any more. One way or another she'd have to go back to her apartment. Granny was right, whether or not he was there to help, the remains of Lacey had to be picked up. The sooner the better.

She'd finally wrapped the blue coat around herself, happy it would at least hide the dress for the short walk back up the street to the library, when there was a knock on the door. Granny no doubt, making sure that she was following orders and had gotten out of bed. She tried to put on a smile of thankfulness for her but when she opened the door it wasn't Granny that greeted her.

"Ruby!" she breathed rushing forward to throw her arms around the tall woman. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I'm so glad you're you again!" she exclaimed, but she didn't wrap her arms around her as she expected. It wasn't until she pulled away from her that she observed there was a diaper bag slung over her shoulder, a duffle bag in one hand, and a baby carrier in the other. "Sorry," Ruby responded when she saw her looking over the odd items in her hands. "I should have mentioned I wasn't alone," she explained as she stepped into the room. "But Sean had to go to work and Ashley was still asleep from the pain meds, even if she wakes up I doubt she'd realize we're not there. I can't stay long but I'm going to stay with them for a little while and I needed clothes and then Granny told me what happened..." she finally took a deep breath and sat the carrier down to reveal the sleeping girl within.

"It's alright," she responded, suddenly getting the feeling like Ruby was moving faster than her mind could work at the moment. Was that due to the lack of sleep? Or the lack of emotions? Ruby nodded and offered a sympathetic smile, seeming to understand her thoughts. Or maybe it was just her tone and face that gave her away. Or maybe it was Granny...

"I have something for you," Ruby suddenly reached for the diaper bag and began rifling through it. "I went to see you at the hospital but they said you'd 'gone'," she explained in a tone that told her she knew that "leaving" wasn't exactly what they'd told her. "The nurses said you left this behind, told me to give it to you when I saw you again." From the depths of the bag Ruby pulled out the purse she'd been carrying that night at the town line what seemed like an eternity ago. Amazed and relieved, she quickly snatched it up and peered into it. Everything was still there. Her cell phone, the wallet, the hair brush and comb, the keys, the...

No.

Her heart stopped. Something was missing.

The paper. The one he'd given her. The one meant to lead people away from the daggers location! It was gone. And the clock tower. Lacey had a memory of a gaping hole where the clock face had once been. When she'd looked it over yesterday it had been whole again. When everything reset itself after they stopped the trigger, it must have healed itself, but did that mean that the dagger was there? And how would that paper have gotten out of her bag in the first place?

"Belle, what's wrong?" Rumple said a lot had happened while she'd been gone. It was time she found out what exactly. Quickly.

"Something's missing."

"What?" She had to find out what had happened but how? What could she say? She couldn't tell her about the dagger. She wouldn't tell anyone about it! But where was it? She couldn't rest until she knew it was safe. So how was she supposed to do that when no one knew about it and she was sworn to keep it a secret. Keep it safe.

"I remember..." she began, settling for a safer course of action, "the clock tower being broken...?"

Ruby gave her another assuming smile. "The dagger," she muttered to her amazement. She had to fight not to drop her jaw at the realization that she knew. "I wondered if you knew about that. We couldn't agree on whether or not he would have told you where he hid it or if you even knew it existed."

She shook her head trying to sort out the massive blow that one single piece of information contained. Of course she knew about it! Of course he'd told her, it was hidden in her library and there was a certain amount of risk involved in keeping it there, he never would have exposed her to something like that without leaving her prepared. She knew about the daggers location, the question was why did Ruby. Why did...they? He'd kept the secret of the dagger between the two of them. He'd never said that she was the only one exclusively to know about it, but she knew him. She knew that it had taken him a lot of courage to disclose the information to her. There was no reason for Ruby to know about it without good cause or the others that were incorporated in that "we" that Ruby had mentioned.

"What happened?" she asked.

It was a long story, much longer than she was comfortable with, and it all seemed to have started the moment she'd gone into the hospital. It turned out Cora was much more of a threat than everyone assumed. She'd come back, apparently she'd arrived when Hook had. She'd wanted power, his power, and she'd known to go after the dagger, just as he'd feared the night they hid it. They'd made their move while he'd gone to New York to find Baelfire. Not under the same restrictions that the rest of them were with the curse, Hook had followed, poisoned him, and left him for dead. Then, to make matters worse, by the time the Charming's knew about the dagger and gotten him to disclose the location, Cora and Regina already had it.

Ruby wasn't sure the exact details of what happened next. Apparently Mary Margaret hadn't been so eager to tell her how the issue had been resolved. But David told her that Mary Margaret, with the help of some kind of two sided candle had managed to defeat Cora and in the end she'd died. He'd come close to death, to losing his life, just before Cora had. She could remember that. She could remember the call that he'd made to her when she'd been in the hospital. She could feel her body trying to produce the tears she needed for the sadness she felt, but they just wouldn't come. She was already too spent for that.

"And the dagger?" she questioned with a nervous swallow. "Where is it?"

"I don't know," Ruby answered honestly. "Last I heard Gold had it." Well, that was something to be happy about. So long as the story ended with that dagger in his hand, then it would all be okay. Otherwise she would have had to tear the town apart until she found it. Even then it might not have been enough. Clever as he was, he could have hidden it so that she never would have found it. No wonder he didn't share the information of the dagger with just anyone. No wonder he'd always had trouble trusting her after he'd made the mistake with Cora! The trust he'd shown to tell her about it in the first place should have made her happy, but it was strange how even that could make her feel utterly broken.

She didn't know what to say, but fortunately the baby chose that moment to start squirming and Ruby jumped up immediately to hold the child as her head cleared. It was a welcomed distraction. "So..." Ruby muttered, eyeing her over the infant as she bounced up and down and swayed with her. "Where have you been? Where did you go after you left the hospital?"

Suddenly she felt like a spotlight was burning against her again as she heard the suspicion in Ruby's voice. The question wasn't necessary, she already knew. "What did Granny tell you?"

"Just bits and pieces," she informed her with a shrug, as if it was nothing. "She told me about Mr. Gold and what happened to Henry. She told me about Lacey."

She could feel her face turning bright red as she dropped her head into her hands and her jaw tensed while she tried to stifle the heartache. Ruby didn't say anything, she just watched as she held the baby and waited for her to disclose the information. The last thing she wanted to do was go over it again, as she had last night, but if she'd trusted Granny with the information then she certainly trusted Ruby with it. And if Ruby had told her what happened while she'd been away, then she deserved the same treatment.

The words didn't fall out of her mouth nearly as easily as they had when she'd told Granny the night before. She felt like she had to force them out and they tasted bitter. It was like her body was responding to not being able to cry the tears out by putting them there on her tongue. Ruby listened the entire time. She rocked the baby, changed the diaper, put her back to sleep, but even when she was busy she knew that she had her full attention.

"I was a monster," she concluded, realizing how strange it was to be on that side of the fence. Normally she was the one encouraging him that he wasn't evil, to have been there herself was something she wasn't sure she'd ever come to terms with.

"You couldn't have been that bad," Ruby muttered putting the baby back in her carrier.

But she had been. Ruby just hadn't been there to see it! And seeing was believing wasn't it? If it hadn't been Ruby she wouldn't have even considered it, but she wasn't sure she could ever make her understand any other way. She stood, and with trembling fingers opened her coat to reveal the tight, short, black dress she'd come in with. Ruby looked surprised but not shocked, not to the extent she expected.

"I had to take some of the, uh..." she cleared her throat as she blushed at how far she'd fallen, "new...things you bought, last night."

Ruby nodded but still didn't have the right facial expression. If she had to pinpoint it, she thought it might be amusement. "It's a stunner," she confirmed after a moment with a nod of the head and a sympathetic smile. "But I've seen worse. I've worn worse actually! You should have seen some of Ruby's Halloween costumes!" she exclaimed with a little laugh. But she couldn't understand the joke, or the comment. She'd certainly never seen her in anything less than respectable or appropriate.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously, then watched as Ruby's demeanor changed from understanding to uncomfortable. She almost looked wounded in a way.

"Belle, have you seen the back of my closet?! Before the curse broke Ruby wasn't exactly…wholesome. Ruby, cursed Ruby, liked…to party, I suppose you could say, sleeping around would be another way to put it. She had a certain sense of responsibility enough to go to work and keep her in storybrooke with her Grandmother, but not enough to keep her from staying out late nights, going to the bar, meeting up with guys…" her voice trailed off and she was suddenly both sorry she'd asked, but also completely relieved. Ruby might have known better than anyone what she was feeling right now.

"You were Lacey for a few days," she went on in a tone that was wistful, almost envious, "as embarrassing as it seems now, it at least sounds like you stayed out of trouble for the most part. Gold saved you from really doing anything you'd regret. The rest of us were cursed for decades, we weren't as lucky."

She hadn't considered that. At the end of the day nothing terrible really had happened besides some events she'd egged on and a lot of drinking. But if she'd been Lacey for much longer, she might very well have committed some terrible deed she didn't want to have happened. If he hadn't come along and stopped her in the alley way...

Her stomach turned dangerously again. Whether the memories in her head were real or not they were still there. And she wished they weren't. The night in the ally still made her sick to her stomach.

"How do you handle it?" she asked. "How do you move on?"

"Sometimes it's hard," Ruby answered with a sly smile. "Some days I have to live moment to moment, you know especially depending on who's in the diner, but...it gets better as time goes on. You learn to keep the good things and live with the past."

"I don't think there's anything good to keep," she responded quickly.

Ruby only shook her head. "That's not true. Everyone has been cursed and I've never met a single person that didn't at least like something about their cursed selves."

"Well, I'm the first then."

"You're not. Trust me!" And when she shook her head in a firm denial Ruby got up out of her seat, sat next to her on the mattress, and took her hand. "There's got to be something that you liked. Trust me, if you can find just one thing it'll make it a lot easier. Just think." As much as she didn't want to, she thought about the last three days, the events flying through her mind one right after the other. But she couldn't think of a single memory that didn't make her cringe.

"Don't think about the actions," Ruby recommended at her silence. "Try and think about the personality, try and…" but she shook her head and sighed, like she was having trouble finding the words to help her. "If you could describe Lacey, only in one word characteristics, just her personality traits, the good, the bad, and the ugly, what would you say?"

How to describe Lacey? How to describe herself? Why bother? She was certain there was nothing good.

"Belle, just try," Ruby encouraged. "Who was Lacey? The first thing that comes to your mind-"

"Selfish," she burst out so suddenly that she had to fight the urge to cover her mouth.

"Okay, it's a start, keep going."

"Uncaring. Unkind," Ruby offered her encouraging nods as she named the traits. She really wanted her to go on?! "Manipulative. But smart. She was smart enough to know how to manipulate effectively, to see through people and exploit their weaknesses."

"Anything else?" Ruby muttered after her small pause.

"Irresponsible. Criminal. Drunk. Bold-"

"Bold doesn't sound too bad," Ruby suddenly interrupted.

Bold? Good? She thought back to the memories that caused her to think of that trait. The night they'd gone into The Rabbit Hole and the crowd had stared at them.  _"It's a bar not a bloody zoo!"_ she'd yelled. She could remember having that same feeling when she kept pressing him for answer after answer, long after she would have ever continued to spare him. She could remember the way she'd taken control even physically; kissing him, touching him, practically throwing herself at him! Even if it had been her Rumpelstiltskin it still turned her stomach. No, it might not sound bad but it certainly was.

"It's not me," she insisted.

Ruby offered her a suspicious and irritated look. The kind that silently accused her of being too stubborn. "You stood up to your father and Rumpelstiltskin in the mine; told them both you never wanted to see them again. You were willing to hide me when the entire town was after the wolf. Then you stood up to Emma the night before Archie's funeral. Poor timing...but still a bold statement that needed to be said," she listed. "It's something you've always had in you, something you can use for good. Lacey just brought it out a little more. Trust me. That's your good thing. Hold onto it."

It had been so long since she'd thought of those moments. None were particularly happy memories, but she was right. She had been bold then. Just as she had when she'd agreed to go and work for Rumpelstiltskin, or when she'd freed Robin Hood. Or even when she'd kissed him for the first time and when she'd had the final word before leaving the castle! Was that what her bravery was? She'd always thought it was bravery but could it have been something else? Boldness? Was there any difference?

The baby screamed and her concentration broke again. Ruby let go of her hand and ran for the squealing infant in her seat. "Sorry," she muttered as she lifted her into her arms again and began rocking the child. "I don't think she's ever been away from Ashley this long," she commented as she tried to ease her. She was about to tell her it was alright, babies cried. But Lacey had left her with a small hint of a hangover and the sudden wails made her head pound. She was suddenly beyond thankful that Ruby had brought her purse back to her and she fumbled inside for the tiny pill bottle she carried. She took two, hoping it would be enough to numb her head until the massive amounts of alcohol she had consumed finally made it out of her body. She'd always enjoyed a glass of wine here and there and she'd drowned her sorrows in tavern ale before, but after this experience she'd never touch the stuff again.

After a few moments Ruby calmed the girl and placed her back in her seat, muttering another apology. "It's alright," she whispered. "I need to get going anyway. Granny only gave me a night."

Ruby glanced up at her with a slightly irritated, surprised look before shaking her head. "You don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to. I'll talk to Granny, really, you can stay here as long as you like."

She could. She could stay here. She could stay here and...

No. If she did that, if she took another day it would turn into another, then a week, then a month…longer? And what would happen if she did that? What would she do? Dwell on the past? Think about where he was? Stare out the window, looking out over the bay, hoping that every second was the second she'd see white sails on the horizon? Her clothes would become scraps and her hair would fall out before she ever moved again. She didn't want him to come back to find her that way.

Granny was right. She needed to move on. She needed to leave this place and if she didn't do it now, then she might not ever. "Thank you, but...I need to start somewhere."

"Where will you go?"

"Back to my apartment. Change. Clean up. That's as far as I've gotten," she explained. "Hopefully I'll find something to keep busy afterwards."

"Well, do you want me to come with you? I could-"

But before she could finish the sentence the baby woke up again and began to cry. For the first time since yesterday afternoon, she laughed. Really laughed. She couldn't help it, the way the small child seemed to open her mouth and scream every time they seemed to get somewhere was funny. It was the crying, it was the falling of Ruby's face, it was the brief bliss the small moment offered. It wasn't much, but it gave her hope, however briefly, that she would make it out of this alive.

"Yes," she answered, moving around Ruby and picking up the child herself, giving Ruby the smallest of breaks. "But you've got enough to do. Besides, this is something that I want to do on my own." As much as she didn't want to set foot in that place, she certainly didn't want anyone but herself to see it right now. Not until she'd taken care of every last piece of Lacey, not until she and her apartment looked like her again.

Ruby nodded and pulled the baby back into her arms. When she was settled she reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "I put my number in your cell phone, along with some of the other essentials that I had. Call if you need anything? Me, Archie...anyone, anytime!"

"Sure," she muttered as she collected her bag and the sheets from the bed. "I'll see you soon?" she questioned, glancing between Ruby and the baby.

She nodded and offered another reassuring smile, the one she'd hoped to see last night. "Yeah, I'll be around."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Ruby came back! And really I am happy that MO is doing so well that she got her own show I just wished that A&E would acknowledge it every once in a while. I mean really it doesn't take much time for someone to ask Granny "Can Ruby do it?" and for her to say "Sorry, since she adopted that pack of baby wolves she's up to her elbows in raw meat!" Well...hopefully my explanation with the hospital and Ashley and Alexandra is a bit better than that but you get the idea. Oh and don't worry, I know I promised resolution with Lacey. This isn't it. This is...I guess you could say Part I of resolution, but certainly not resolution as I've promised. That, my friends is in the next chapter!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	10. She is Both

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, an authors note at the beginning of a chapter, must be important! Truth is, I did my best to make the events of Lacey, everything that I wrote in Moments Missed, easy to understand in the rest of the Moments series just in case people didn't want to read Lacey's story. This chapter is the exception to that. I had to have her reflect on Lacey a little bit, to have her come to terms with what happened to her. I still think, even if you didn't read Moments Missed you'll do okay for this chapter although I will suggest that if you didn't read Missed, you might want to read the first chapter. It's the back story I gave Lacey and it'll make a lot of this chapter make even more sense. The good thing is that from here on out, even though there will be references made to her time as Lacey, this is the only chapter truly heavy with it.

She felt like she was walking to a funeral. After she'd dropped her laundry into Granny's washing machine and returned the key, she'd left through the diner without another word. The walk down the street to the library seemed twice as long as it should have been and yet not long enough. Every footfall felt heavier, every step bringing her closer to a confrontation she wasn't sure she was ready for. The library looked just as she'd left it. If there were strangers in town, they hadn't tried to break in while she'd been gone last night. Not that she knew why they would. If the dagger was gone, there was nothing worth stealing inside.

She made her way to the staircase in back, dragging her feet as she climbed up to the landing, and before she knew it she was right where she'd been yesterday. Door in front of her. Fingers on the knob. Key in her hand. The same overwhelmed feeling she'd had yesterday as she stood there washed over her again. This had been the moment she run, hadn't been able to stand the thought of going inside. As she stood before the door again she began to think of the huge tasks involved in going in there. Small as they were, they seemed to take a lot more energy than she had.

Her grip on the handle tightened. One step at a time. Unlock the door. Get changed. Focus on the small goals. She took a deep breath, exhaled, then, faster than she expected, she forced her key into the lock, turned and opened the door to her apartment. She ignored everything around her and set her sights solely on the bedroom. Without thinking she walked swiftly into the room, retrieved fresh clothes from her dresser and her closet, then shut herself away in the bathroom, the one place memories of Lacey hadn't managed to infiltrate completely. In this room alone it was almost as if she'd never existed. Though Lacey had used her belongings she'd at least put them back where she'd placed them and everything looked almost as she remembered it.

She pulled on her familiar clean clothes, removed the blue nail polish, and brushed through her hair, tying it back so it wouldn't be in the way as she worked. When she looked in the mirror she was both pleasantly surprised and saddened by the reflection. She looked like herself again, but she didn't feel like herself. There was no happiness on her face and her eyes seemed dull. The reflection had nothing to do with where she was or who she was...simply who she was without.

She turned away from the mirror, unable to stand the reflection he'd left her with and not wanting to think about why he'd left her with it to begin with. There was plenty else to do right now. And if she was going to start somewhere, it may as well be here. Lacey may not have disturbed the area around her sink or in her shower, but there were towels she'd carelessly dropped into the floor. Her first instinct was to hang them up, but as she folded them she found she couldn't stand the thought of using them again. It was silly. She and Lacey had little in common, but they'd shared the same body. There was no reason not to use them again. But the thought of it still made her cringe. Much to Ruby's disappointment, she wanted nothing to do with the girl again. She wanted everything gone, her apartment cleaned, everything she'd touched washed, until nothing remained.

She felt as though she'd been possessed by a demon that had infected the place she lived. The urge to clean her space, to exorcise the woman, was too strong to let some dirty towels go. She opened the bathroom door, tossed them into a pile in the middle of her bedroom and looked around. What else? The bed. Lacey had spent her last night in the bed, alone, thankfully. And the night before that Gold had put her to sleep and covered her only with the blanket at the foot of the bed. She added the blanket, holding it delicately like she was afraid a remnant of Lacey might have lingered and would jump back into her skin taking over control again if she touched it too much or too long. She was being ridiculous, she knew it. The blanket, the comforter, her sheets, they were just objects, they couldn't hurt her. But seeing them in the laundry pile away from her bed, helped. And putting new towels in the bathroom and fresh bedding on the mattress made her feel better.

They hadn't slept together. That fact had pissed Lacey off to no end. She hadn't been used to men turning her down and the fact that he had confused her and angered her all at once. She'd tried. She'd tried hard. And as much as she didn't want to think about it, there had been a few times when she'd come close to succeeding, a few times when she suspected he'd nearly given into her that made her heart ache.

It would have been easy to be mad at him, but with the events that followed she couldn't even begin to decipher that mess. Her head couldn't tolerate it and her heart might explode if she tried to sort it out. He'd been vulnerable, she'd made him that way. He'd given into his violent temptations and her body had encouraged him to do it with words and actions. Given more time he might have given into Lacey completely, if she'd had the time to wear him down, but at the end of the day he'd brought her back. He'd tried to protect her, willing to let Lacey die, but unwilling to let her fear her own death. He'd told her that he needed her and brought her back to him.

He needed her? He needed her?! Of course he did. She'd always known that. She was the only one to ever see him as more than a monster. To support him as he tried to find his son. To make him good. He needed her for her mind but what use was she to him now? If he'd really needed her, if he'd needed her help, wouldn't he have taken her with him? Wouldn't he have found someone else to take the cloaking spell and let her come with him on that ship?

She left her haunting thoughts behind and continued her journey into the kitchen, finding everything she could, everything Lacey had touched, used, given so much as a second glance. She picked up the rags, the dish towels, and put the dishes still in the sink into the dishwasher. On the counter, just where she'd left it sat her book:  _La Belle et La Bete._ He'd been reading it the entire time she was Lacey. He'd once told her that the world outside of Storybrooke would have thought that she was the Belle in the story. Was that why he'd been reading it? Had that Belle reminded him of her in some way? Or was it just the possibility of a happy ending for Belle and the Beast that had captivated him?

They'd exchanged harsh words over this counter, Lacey and Gold. But they'd also exchanged pleasant ones as well. Lies, she knew that now, but each of them held a tiny grain of truth. Though only she would have understood that truth, she couldn't help but feel slightly irritated at the fact that he'd told her. It was that same feeling she'd had the night he'd told her about Cora. How ridiculous! She was jealous…but this time she was jealous of herself…Lacey! She spun around, unwilling to face the small area but still clutching her book to her chest as if it could protect her, shield her from herself.

No. She knew him. She knew the true him that no one else did. He wasn't the beast the world made him out to be. It hadn't been the beast that had read this book, it hadn't been the look of the beast that had turned her down. That had been Rumpelstiltskin…her Rumpelstiltskin! She knew his faces and she knew that even when he'd been taunting the town people by Lacey's side, taken money, and made veiled threats it hadn't been him! No. That was the beast. It wasn't the best way to think about things but maybe it was the easiest way. And right now, in the midst of difficulty, she could use something easy.

As much as it hurt her to think about it, part of him had been attracted to Lacey. But it wasn't the part that mattered. At least not to her. It was the beast. It was Mr. Gold. Her Rumple had remained as faithful and protective of her, Belle, as he always had been. No. It wasn't the best solution, but it was one that calmed the fire of jealousy and settled her stomach. Rumpelstiltskin was hers. Here or in another realm, he belonged to her and her alone. It was far more comforting than anything that had happened since he left.

But the comfort wouldn't last, not while she was here, not while there was still work to be done. Across the counter her eyes fell over the wine bottle that Lacey had opened. She could have easily corked it before putting it back into the drawer, but she hadn't bothered with a wine glass and had put her mouth on the bottle. She didn't care if she never tasted the stuff again! She set the book aside then upended the contents of the bottle into the sink and disposed of the glass. She'd take the garbage out today too, but only after she was done.

Garbage. She had a laundry pile, which she was pretty certain was complete. What else needed to go into the trash? Her dress. And those terrible black stockings. But those hadn't been the only thing she'd stolen. She located the bag of clothing she'd worn her first day as Lacey.

The blue blouse she'd stolen from a store. But the pants and the shoes, she'd stolen them from a hospital locker. She'd wash the pants and figure a way to get them back to their owner. Same with the shoes. It wasn't enough to make her set foot in the hospital again, but maybe Ruby could help her and she could apologize to the women she'd stolen them from outside of that dreadful place. As for the blouse, she'd rather throw it away and pay the store back the money she owed them. She would never wear it again. The jacket he'd taken for her, under the guise of a "down payment" on back rent, she'd return that too! She didn't want any of it.

It was tempting to return the money that he'd taken for rent as well. But, she supposed, no matter the manner or motivations he'd had when he took it that had been a legal action. But the least she could do was get him to void whatever else they owed him for the month if he returned. When! When he returned. She tossed the clothes and started the washing machine, when she remembered that the black dress and clothes in the closet weren't the only thing that Lacey had tampered with.

Lacey's great love had been fashion. She'd loved to sew and create clothes. Arguably it was the only time that she'd really been happy while she was around. Her eyes landed on the sewing machine and lines of thread, scissors, even paper with drawings on them that now sat in the corner of her small place. Gold had gotten that for her the first morning she'd woken up. It had been a remarkably kind gesture, but she should get rid of it. She should throw it out, never see it again! But as she glanced down at it, the sketches she'd done jumped out at her, and instead of making her stomach lurch like everything else had, she felt a smirk pull at the corner of her lip, fighting to get out.

The drawings weren't half bad she supposed. The skirts were far too short for her and the tops too low. Lacey liked skin. No, they weren't exactly her taste, but still...she couldn't deny the girl had done great work. She'd done great work? It was her that had drawn these and while she and Lacey had different ideas of style, they both had liked fashion. Lacey liked it more than she did, but the small shopping trips she and Ruby had taken were always fun.

She left the machine as it was and went back into her bedroom, flipping over the lid of the hamper. She'd forgotten these outfits, the ones Lacey had created from the clothes she'd had. Her favorite purple top was a hopeless case. The pattern she'd cut into it was intriguing but it was too much, or rather too little fabric, for her. But the skirt she'd shortened…it wasn't terrible. It was short, much shorter than she'd ever wear, but longer than the dress she'd walked around in yesterday. She held it to her waist and glanced down. What was the harm of a shorter hem line? She'd always considered her beauty to lie in her face, Lacey had considered her entire body beautiful and something to be shown off. She'd made this to show off her legs to flaunt them to other men in an attempt to make Gold jealous. She wouldn't care about that so long as she could catch the eye of Rumple. Maybe it wasn't all as hopeless as the top had been.

She pulled out the other garments. Lacey had torn the lining out of the nightgown she'd bought a few nights before the town line incident. It had been for Rumple, but with the lining missing she found herself blushing. Sexy. She'd never considered herself sexy before, not like Lacey had been. He'd made her feel that way, but didn't know she could do it all on her own, with just a sheer piece of lace. She'd have been humiliated if Lacey had shown anyone else. But for Rumple? Well, it wasn't as if he'd be seeing something he hadn't already seen. And it wasn't as if he didn't already love her with or without it. With a promising smile she set it aside. It would get washed, but she'd keep it.

She turned her attention to the green gown that she'd made out of one of her dresses…it was clever. For having no material and only existing clothes, she had to admit it, Lacey had talent. Did that mean she had talent too? Yes. As she looked over the gown words she'd never known before filled her head. She knew the name of the stitching she'd used on the hem and that it had a plunging neckline. Her mind was already beginning to knit together the possibilities of how she could change it again, make it more appropriate for her tastes. And most remarkable of all, she liked it. She liked looking at it with possibility, she liked knowing she could change it. She'd liked clothes and of course she'd taught herself how to sew in the castle but she'd never been as interested as she was right this moment.

The words in her head might have belonged to Lacey but the voice was hers. The talent was Lacey, born of her cursed self, but the interest had been within her from the beginning. It didn't just belong to Lacey it belonged to her as well. She wasn't Lacey any more, but she wasn't just herself, she wasn't the same person she'd been before she'd crossed the town line.

She didn't want to be Lacey. But as she looked over the dress she suddenly came to a startling conclusion. She didn't want to get rid of her completely.

When she took a step back and looked at her through different eyes, she wasn't entirely bad. She'd done some terrible things, things that made her head spin. But if Lacey hadn't been her, if she hadn't been in her body, taken her life, and deceived her lover, she imagined she might not have hated her as much. She'd have felt sorry for her, she'd have wanted to help her, and console her in some way. No wonder Lacey had been drawn to the beast, they really weren't all that different.

She placed the dress and skirt back in the hamper for the laundry and went back into the living room to peer at the sewing machine. She wasn't going to get rid of it. It seemed like a waste. She couldn't believe she was considering this when a few moments ago she'd so fervently denied it, but Ruby had been right. She too had found something she tolerated, dare she say, liked, about her cursed self. Boldness. Talent. It was a short list, but it was better than nothing.

She glanced around her apartment. Hers. Well, almost. He was gone and in some small way, Lacey remained. It might not be an even percentage or number value, but whether she liked it or not she was both herself and Lacey now. Keep the good, live with the rest. That was Ruby's advice. The good certainly made the rest easier to live with. It didn't fix it, but it made it easier. Now if only she could figure out how to live without him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...how do you feel about that? I mean...maybe resolution is the wrong word because that suggests that everything is okay again and it's not. She still acknowledges that a terrible thing happened to her, she's just found a way of coping with it that makes it bearable and will allow her to move on the way that Ruby instructed her too. So...I don't know...is there a word for that? Your thoughts?
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	11. Checking In

The sign on Granny's Diner said "closed" but she knew to ignore it and walked in anyway. Despite her inner pain, life moved forward and the world kept spinning. Though sometimes she felt as though she was standing still, fixed in one place, as she watched it rotate around her as time went on. Kids went to school. Parents went to work. Dogs needed walked. Life continued in the absence of their heroes. And the crisis in town needed tending to. So she bravely stepped out of her library every day just after the lunch rush to meet with the group that she'd trusted since he'd left two days ago.

Today was no different than either of those, she stepped inside and glanced around for who had gathered already. Five of the dwarves sat at the counter chatting peacefully, Granny stood behind the counter holding the child, whose name she had learned was Alexandra, while Ruby worked on serving coffee and drinks to anyone that wanted them. Marco and his son, August, sat in a booth, and she heard the father complement the boy on a drawing he appeared to be working on as he glanced up at her arrival. That left only Mother Superior, Archie, and two of the dwarves then. But that was to be expected, they were the ones that were supposed to be patrolling the town lines. Chances were they'd be around in no time. She smiled at Tom Clark and took the seat next to him at the counter.

"Still no luck on the sleep thing, huh?"

She glanced up to find Ruby setting a cup of warm tea in front of her. Life went on, but that didn't mean it was easy. However she supposed that at the very least the days were getting better. She'd had so much to do over the last couple of days, cleaning the apartment, cleaning the library, keeping a shift at the town line, meetings with this group…so long as she kept busy she was fine. Nights were the real problem. She slept. She just didn't sleep through the night. She couldn't help it, every time she laid down, when there was nothing to do but stare at her ceiling, think about the empty spot next to her in the bed, ponder what he was doing, where he was, whether or not he was still alive...it was no wonder sleep eluded her.

"I'm sleeping," she insisted in a small mumble. It was partially the truth, just not the entire truth. She almost never found herself falling asleep when she meant to any more, it was usually when her body just gave out on her, too tired to do anything besides sleep that she'd find herself dozing off. When she sat down to read a book, or at the circulation desk, embarrassingly enough even once when she'd been keeping watch at the town line. But no matter where she was, she always woke up screaming from some terrible nightmare she'd had and was too afraid to fall asleep again for fear she'd see those same unspeakable, terrible images.

"Are you sure-"

The door to Granny's flew open again and Leroy and Walter walked in. Leroy found her eyes and nodded at her. "All's clear sister. Still. Bumper's still there though."

She nodded and thanked him for the information before the pair of them sat down at the counter with the rest of their friends. She couldn't remember ever being elected for the job, she couldn't remember when or who decided she should be the one in charge, but somehow she was. Apparently being in possession of the cloaking spell and setting it had done the job well enough. But she didn't like it. In all honesty, she would much rather Granny or Archie or even Mother Superior take over for her. She felt like she was a terrible choice for leadership, she hadn't done anything to cast that protection curse except pour the potion over the rock! But then, at some point or another, she'd had moments every day that she felt happy for it, if only because if forced her to be social and pick herself up. It wasn't easy, but it was keeping her from curling up in a ball and crying day and night.

"Is this all of us?" she turned back around to see Archie holding the door open for Superior who glanced around looking over the faces just as she had.

"Yes," she answered, still trying to find her voice, "we're all here now. What happened?"

"Still nothing," Archie informed her as Marco left August to join the conversation.

She nodded, that was good. "Have you found anything to help us track down the strangers?" she asked Superior.

"No," she shook her head, "we're still working on it." She heard Leroy snort behind her but didn't acknowledge it. "I don't suppose you know if Mr. Gold has anything," she asked, "in his shop?"

She shook her head sadly. She hadn't been back there since he'd left. Going into her apartment, facing Lacey, was easy compared to facing his shop. She just wasn't sure if she could stand going in there and not feeling like it was a shrine, or a tomb, and she knew somehow that if she completely conceded defeat and admitted she'd never see him again, then she wouldn't live much longer. Her body might, but she knew that if he really did die, if she ever found out that there was no hope for him then her soul surely wouldn't survive the blow.

"So we just keep guarding the town line?" Tom questioned.

"Yeah, for how long?"

"It's getting colder-"

"-we're getting tired-"

"-we have other jobs."

"For all we know nobody is even in town!"

"Hey!" Leroy shouted at his brothers. "We guard the town line until Snow and Charming come back! They're counting on us to-"

"It could be months!"

"Then we guard it for months-"

"No, Leroy, hey!" she shouted and stepped into the small circle the dwarves had created separating them so they couldn't bicker anymore, "it's okay." Of course she would love to agree with Leroy, but over the last couple of days she'd had her doubts as well. It seemed as if most of the town had figured out who was gone and what had happened by now. If there were strangers in town looking to attack or take over or even destroy them, she figured they would have struck already. They were weakest in the beginning, when there were obvious important jobs in the town that had been left vacant, but every day another small problem came up they got a bit more organized, learned how to fill in, and stood a little more firmly. She was certain that if they were here, then the opportune time to strike had come and gone. What else could they have been waiting for?

"Has anyone heard or seen anything strange in town the last few days? Anything at all to suggest there are people in town, besides what's at the town line?" there was a collective shake of their heads. "And no one has even attempted to come into town or leave?" Another few moments of heads shaking made her rub her forehead. She'd known it. There was no reason he'd left her here, nothing that she needed to do. The only logical conclusion was that he'd left her here, because he didn't need her there. Sad as it was she couldn't focus on that now. The time had come to make a new plan, and she knew that everyone standing around her was expecting her to come up with it.

So what was the new plan? What did they do now? Go back to the way things were? That was impossible, people they loved were gone, people that served important duties to make a town functional, had left. And although she might be ready to begin accepting that the town was safe, her heart, and her instinct, wouldn't allow it completely. Until Superior and the other fairies came up with some way to determine if there were strangers in town for sure she didn't want to let their guard down completely. But one thing she was sure of, after these few days, if there was a threat then it was in town already. Nothing was going to get through the town line. He'd made sure of that. They'd made sure of it.

"Let's stop the watches at the town line," she concluded. "Unless someone has any concerns, there is no reason not to believe it's secure." She glanced around the group but no one brought anything up that would change her mind. "For now, let's just continue on with our lives and our jobs. Leroy, you can continue to handle the police station, Archie and I will continue to deal with any other town problems, and the fairies will do their best to keep trying to find some way to determine if there are people in town already."

"It sure sounds a lot better than sitting out at the line freezing night after night," Tom chimed in. Strange, her first thought was that sitting at the town line freezing every night would have been far better than the alternative: facing a nightmarish empty bed. Maybe she could take a night shift anyway…

Behind them there was a knock at the door. A man she couldn't identify with dark hair was looking inside the window and pointing to the closed sign. "You open?" he asked, his voice muffled through the window. She cast Granny an unsure glance, but realized everyone was looking to her to answer that question. Where they open? Was this meeting, were all their meetings, really over?!

"Yes," she called, moving around the group and opening the door for the man, trying to ignore the smell of fish wafting off of him. So far the town was quiet and calm, even knowing that their leaders were gone. The last thing she needed was for someone to start a panic because the people assumed they were having a secret meeting. She felt as though she was barely keeping her life together as it was, but if she had to deal with an angry riot or a panicked mob, she wasn't sure she could continue to hold herself together. Besides, they'd said everything that needed to be said and more. There was no need to continue on, it was time to go back to the library and make herself busy for the rest of the day. "Sorry," she apologized to the man, "the sign must have gotten turned over."

"That's all right," he said offering a handsome smile. "My boat got back to the docks late and I missed lunch, figured I'd stop by."

"Lunch is what I do best," Granny stated, and in the blink of an eye it was as if nothing had happened. Marco and Mother Superior went back to August, the dwarves drank their coffee at the counter, Granny placed Alexandra back into Ruby's arms, and the hum of conversations and food preparations filled the tiny area.

She was of no use here anymore. She finished the tea that Ruby had set out for her minutes ago, then collected her bag and turned toward the door. "Belle!" Granny called "Don't leave yet I'll fix you a burger to take with you."

She tried to manage a smile, the woman had offered her the same thing yesterday when she walked in. But her stomach had turned as she looked at it. She'd told her that she wasn't feeling well and that had been the end of it. Today her stomach didn't roll at the thought of eating something, but it didn't exactly demand food either. "That's okay," she commented, "I'm not that hungry at the moment."

She caught a glimpse of Granny setting her hand stubbornly against her hip, winding up to make an argument or a snappy retort, but she turned her back before she could and left without another word. She'd only been there for a few moments, maybe ten minutes max, but she felt as though it had drained all of her energy, and she just didn't have the gull to fight the woman over food.

But she'd barely made it out the door before she heard Archie call "Belle!" and run out the door to catch up to her. "Wait!" Her heart sped up as she watched Archie jog up next to her. What was wrong? What had happened?

"Archie, is everything alright?" she asked as he arrived next to her.

"I was going to ask you the same question. You didn't eat lunch today, are you feeling okay?"

She liked Archie, she really did, he'd proved to be nothing but helpful the last couple of days as they'd dealt with a few minor situations that should have belonged to the Mayor. He was good at calming people down and doing the talking, while she was much better at coming up with ideas to fix certain situations. But as much as she liked him, she just wasn't ready to go into what she was feeling with anyone, especially not right now. She felt like she could feel another cry coming on, she had been trying her best to keep it from the rest of the group, but if he held her up too long she was certain that she wouldn't make it. And if she started crying in front of Archie, if she showed how weak she was feeling to anyone else, she wouldn't forgive herself. She had to be strong, the town expected her to be...and so did she.

"Fine," she said in a pleasant tone, hoping he'd buy it. She'd eaten in the last few days. It wasn't a lot, but she had eaten. Her appetite came and went just like sleep did. When she was hungry she ate a few crackers or a piece of fruit, when she wasn't, she didn't force herself to eat for fear that her stomach would turn on her just as her dreams had. In her opinion, when her body was ready to eat, when it was ready to go back to a normal schedule, she'd get hungry and tired again just like everyone else. But for now, she wasn't stupid, she knew that her eating and sleeping problems were not due to being sick. They were just the side effects of a broken heart.

"Belle," Archie sighed, and reached out to grab her elbow, "you know if you need anything, if you want to talk, my door is always open."

Yes, she knew. And frankly, besides Ruby, she'd rather talk to Archie than anyone else. But talking about her fears made them real. She couldn't do that.

"Thank you, but, um...I'm fine, really," she did her best to smile at the man and his kind offer. Archie merely looked at her, his eyebrow arched, head tilted, with a disbelieving look in his eye that challenged her answer. He knew she was lying. Maybe she wasn't hiding this perpetual depression as well as she thought she was. "I'm as well as I can be," she amended.

"Belle…" he sighed and shook his head at her. He opened his mouth several times, but in the end he didn't say anything about her comment. After a few moments he just nodded, gave her arm a supportive squeeze, and muttered "call if you want to talk" then walked across the street, the short distance to his office. Archie was wonderful, they were all wonderful. But sometimes, when she stepped into the library he'd given her, half expecting him to be hiding somewhere among the shelves, she wondered if friendship would ever be enough to fill the void he'd left in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special cameo that will be important in the very near future! Did anyone catch it? Anyone? Anyone at all? I know, it's terribly unfair. You didn't expect to get a pop quiz! It's okay. If you didn't get it you'll figure it out soon enough!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	12. A Hopeful Reminder

She awoke screaming, her heart pounding against her chest, trying to put enough air in her lungs to breathe again. Tears began streaming out of her eyes as she glanced around, trying to identify her settings and remember what had happened. She was in a long night gown...in her apartment...in front of her sewing machine...she was fine...she was safe and he was…still gone. The realization soaked into her skin and she leaned forward, placing her hands over her face, as she tried to remember what had happened.

She'd gone to bed last night, but hadn't been able to sleep...like usual. It was around three when she finally gotten out of bed and, needing something to do to keep herself busy, gone through her closet. Her new found talent with a sewing machine and clothing, thanks to Lacey, kicked in with an idea as she'd stared at a blouse she had yet to wear and a leather skirt. She'd pulled them out, drawn up the changes Lacey put in her head, and set to work, but she could remember laying her head against her arm when her eyes had gotten heavy and sore. That must have been when she fell asleep.

The nightmares had come back. He'd been in a jungle of some kind. He'd been whole but his eyes held no life, his beautiful skin was deathly pale, and his pristine suit had been stained with blood. It was her worst fear, and it had been playing over and over in her head every time she closed her eyes. No wonder she couldn't get herself to sleep at night.

She rubbed her hands over her face, as if she could erase the images. He wasn't dead. He wasn't! She didn't care if he died realms away or right in front of her eyes, the bond they had was strong, and magical. If something happened to him, if anything had gone wrong, she'd feel it! She knew she'd feel it somehow! She wouldn't wonder if he was alright, she would just wake up and know, feel his pain as her own. Wouldn't she?! She'd feel it if he ever really did...

She couldn't do this, she couldn't sit here and risk going to sleep and seeing those images again. She couldn't dwell on what was or might have been. It was morning, she could hear cars on the road outside, driving into work for the day, she had plenty she could do in the library today before checking in with everyone at Granny's, and she could finish the clothes tonight when, tired as she was, she knew she wouldn't sleep. Maybe that was for the better.

She pushed herself away from the table and wandered into her room, brushing the water out of her eyes. She showered, dressed, made the bed, and added some extra make-up to hide the circles under her eyes without a second thought. It was impressive how good she was getting at doing things without thinking. Thinking was dangerous. If she let her mind wander she knew where it would end up and that place was torture.

So, without a second thought she traveled down into the library, found a cart of books that needed shelving, wheeled it into the spotless reading room…and stopped. Something caught her eye through the blinds of the library. There was movement. Across the street! She dropped the books she was holding back onto the cart and practically flew to the window, yanking the obstruction aside so that she could make sure she was seeing what she was really seeing. She was.

There they were. Three men, plain as day, standing outside his shop, hands cupped around their eyes, looking through the windows like it would help them magically see through the drawn shades. The problem was that, in this town, it was a very real possibility that they could see through the shades, but whether or not they could, she didn't like them standing there! Panic and anger surged through her and she turned on her heel barely remembering to pick up the jacket at the door. She let the door slam behind her, charged across the street without even glancing to make sure it was clear, and broke into a run when she reached the sidewalk. She didn't care what was going on around her, she had eyes only for one thing.

Irritated, she marched over to the three and cleared her throat. They jumped back at the sight of her, giving her enough room to stand between them and the shops front door, possessively protecting the building and his life within. "The, uh, the shops closed. Perhaps there's something I can help you with?" she asked raising her eyebrows expecting, not an answer but an explanation. She was proud of how calm and pleasant she managed to sound considering the feelings coursing through her.

"You're her!" one of the three looked her over like she was the scariest thing he'd ever seen. "We're sorry…we didn't know…we didn't see." Suddenly one of the others pulled on his arm and all three of them ran across the street and around the corner like they were on fire.

She stared after them open mouthed for a moment at their rude attempts to pry into their life and shook her head, she didn't want to chase them, she just wanted them away from here! She glanced behind her at the door, her adrenaline fading into nervousness as she looked. Everything seemed to be as they had left it days ago: shades down, door locked, sign flipped to "closed". That was part of why she'd been avoiding the place. But still, just the fact that they had been there made her uneasy. He hadn't said anything about it, but she knew all the same, while he was gone all of his possessions were hers. The car, the house, the shop, they were all hers. She knew how he'd feel about people looking in on the space, she knew how he'd react, and he wouldn't just walk away if there was the risk that something was going on.

Resigned, she unlocked the door, better safe than sorry, and rushed into the shop shutting the door behind her, before she could change her mind, the little bell predictably chiming to announce her presence to no one. She pressed her back against the door and looked around the empty space, amazed at how something as simple as the bell above her head could make her want to cry. No! She wasn't going to cry! She was here for a reason and she wasn't going to let anything distract her.

The front room seemed in order. She couldn't be absolutely positive that everything was in place, she was certain the only one that truly knew where everything in this shop was would be him. But she thought she'd been in here enough that she would notice if something obvious was wrong. She'd be able to sense it. But she couldn't. There wouldn't be anyway. This was the main room, people were in and out of this room all the time. He wouldn't keep anything important here, not right under the nose of everyone. Anything important would have been in the back room. The last place she wanted to go.

One step at a time, she moved around the counter, pulled aside the curtain, and was assaulted by a wave of memories both good and bad. How many times had she come over here before she'd lost her memories? How many times had he sat at the spinning wheel tucked into the corner while she'd fallen asleep on the cot or read a book just to be in the same room as him? How many times had she pulled back this very curtain and seen him standing at his work table? He would have smiled at her surprise visit, offered her a "hey" and a quick kiss before they launched into a discussion. Pleasant memories. Ones that created happy tears.

But the floor plan made them turn angry. He'd moved the table and the cot and some other big items since the night that they'd left for the town line. Lacey had helped when he stated only "sometimes it's just time for a change". She leaned against the door jam and looked over the shop closely. It wasn't as obvious as it had been at the apartment, but evidence of Lacey, and the time she'd spent with Mr. Gold was still everywhere. The pink jacket she'd worn, a piece Lacey hadn't altered at all, still hung up on a hook, the half drunk bottle of whiskey was still sitting on the table beside the two glasses they'd used. It would have been overwhelming, if it wasn't for the few reminders of the last hour or two they'd spent here when she was herself again. The blue potion he'd given her, the one she had yet to thank Leroy and Mother Superior for, was nowhere to be seen, but she could still see her teacup sitting out on the table. Baelfire's shawl still sat out on the shelf, unprotected, forgotten in all the excitement. The sheets and the pillow on the cot still bore the evidence of their last act together in those wonderful moments after he'd brought her back and hadn't been able to let her go. She felt a smile, a real smile, gently tug at the corners of her mouth.

That was a happy memory. Even though they'd been sure they were going to die, even though Bae was dead, it was still a good memory. And it was the first memory that didn't make her want to break into tears. It was strange. A glance at the table behind her, at the whiskey and the tea cup and tears automatically filled her eyes. A glance at the cot, the place they'd had just enough time to make love before being separated again, made her want to smile.

She wouldn't say that the cot made her feel happy, but she'd say it made her feel better, like she'd been living in a land of negative so long even a positive memory wasn't enough to move her back into a land of joy. She just felt neutral. But neutral was better than the alternative. She tenderly remade the cot, straightening the sheets, folding the blanket over them, and setting the pillow, freshly fluffed, at the top. Finishing the simple task she sat down on it and placed her back against the wall.

She had thought coming back here would be painful, like a tomb of some kind, but she didn't think that it would bring her clarity, or even comfort. It was warm in here, comfortable, when she let her eyes close she thought that she might actually be able to feel his hands at her shoulders, or around her waist, or his mouth on hers...

Why wouldn't he take her with him? That was what grated against her above all else. He'd told her that he needed her that day. It was truth that she'd always known but never thought he would ever actually admit. So why was it that after he needed her, he just left her behind? Why couldn't he have just given the scroll to anyone and taken her with him on that ship? It would have been better than sitting here and wondering. Where was he? What was he doing? How long would he be gone? Would he ever come back to her?!

The boy would be his undoing. The boy would be his undoing? She knew what he thought it meant. That much had been obvious. He believed he wasn't coming back, he thought that he'd been going off to his death. She had believed it was something different, she hoped that it was something different. Rumpelstiltskin working with the Evil Queen and Captain Hook, the two people who had possibly ruined his life far more than anyone else, just to help his grandson! That was the undoing of his very being. But what if it was different? What if she was wrong? What if he was right? What would happen if one day the crew came back, and Rumple wasn't with them? What then? She was barely hanging on by a thread as it was, if she lost him for certain, without question…

He needed her. She knew that he did. She was the one that supported him and listened to him when no one else would. But she worried that maybe he didn't need her in the way she'd always hoped. Sure, he needed her mentally and emotionally, but when had she ever been physically needed before? When had he ever really let her help him with something? There had been Hook, but he hadn't planned on her helping him in that way. Besides, she'd gotten the shawl back, but she wouldn't have made it off that ship if he hadn't come to save her. And he wouldn't have made it off without killing Hook if she hadn't been there to save him. He needed her. But had he ever stopped to take into account that she needed him too?!

So they hadn't had a lot of time to try working together; getting the shawl back, activating the cloaking spell, told her that they had a better chance when they were together not when they were apart. Didn't he see that the way she did? No. Even if he knew it, he hadn't been capable of thinking straight when he'd left. Grief made people do unimaginable things, she'd learned that long ago first hand. She'd never been jealous of Baelfire, she never would. The boy, the man, had been his everything for centuries before she came along, and should have been. She couldn't blame him for losing all hope if his son was dead, even if she was around to pick up the pieces.

She pushed herself off of the cot and strode over to Bae's shawl. She couldn't sit here forever. People were depending on her, just as he was depending on her to continue to believe that he was coming back, if only because he didn't believe it. She had to figure out a way to shake herself out of this constant depression she'd been in. Until there was solid proof that he wasn't coming back to her, until she really and truly felt that he was gone, she needed to forget all the terrible thoughts, all the heartache, all the frightful nightmares, and go on preparing for his return. Maybe if she pretended like she believed it, she would.

A cloud must have shifted in the sky, lightening the room suddenly, and something winked at her, flashed, catching her attention just below shelves. Curious, she reached down and picked up the heavy object. A necklace. A heavy, silver, diamond covered necklace. The one he'd given Lacey. The one Lacey had promptly thrown across the room when he'd left her alone in the shop. It was beautiful, but it held no interest for her. For Lacey, a person into flamboyance and grandeur, she could see the appeal. But for her, all she wanted was simple. Him. Everything else, paled in comparison. Besides, the memories the necklace carried with it were not positive ones that would help her though this.

With a heavy sigh, she picked up the old familiar fabric of Bae's shawl, clutching the necklace tight in the other hand. She made sure to check that the back door was locked and the shade was pulled as he would have wanted, then left the rest of the room as it was. She could clean up some other day, for now, all she wanted was to make sure that Baelfire's shawl was safe. In the main room she glanced around, lowered all the shades on the windows, made sure that no one could see her, then pulled the painting behind the counter open to reveal the safe. She unlocked it, placed the precious item inside, safe among his other knick knacks, and locked it again.

Then she turned to the jewelry case, unlocked it, and placed the necklace inside, happy to get rid of it. But no sooner had she set it down, that something else had caught her eye. Something simple. Something plain. A gold ring. She didn't know why it was calling to her, why she felt drawn to it, but she plucked it from the case and stared down at it, as if expecting to see the secrets of the world engraved upon it. Now she knew, looking over it, why it had caught her eye. It didn't have a stone like his, but it reminded her of his own. The one that he wore every day as Mr. Gold. Right hand. Ring finger. Predictable as ever.

She didn't know why, but slowly, timidly, she slid the tiny band onto her own right ring finger. It fit perfectly, comfortably clinging to her as if it had been designed just for her. She found herself smiling down at it. Stone or no stone, they matched. Beautifully. It wasn't much, a small reminder and that was all. But maybe a small reminder of him, something that belonged to him, that gave her hope was all she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter exists for two reasons. One, quite simply, when 3x06 finally rolls around and Belle and Ariel are in the back, things are mostly the way that we left them in 2x22, but Bae's shawl is missing. I wanted to make sure then that Belle had the opportunity to go back and pick it up. Two, come on now...did you expect that I'd just ignore the mysterious ring that shows up on Belle's finger throughout the rest of 3A? With all the speculation and rumors and thoughts...it might have been nothing but I wanted to make something out of that nothing and this seemed to be the best way to do it!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	13. The Honest Truth

She left the library, as she had every day just after the lunch hour, for Granny's to check in with anyone who might have something to tell her. They hadn't been meeting formally, not since she'd lifted the guard at the town line, but she still thought it was important to station herself at Granny's every day at the time they would have been meeting. Yesterday the dwarves had shown up, telling her everything in the mines was fine. The day before that, Marco had handed her a note from Superior stating that she was still working on a potion but hadn't found anything yet. She didn't know if anyone would stop in today, but she felt she had to. Along with the gold band she was now wearing every day in his memory, it was part of her resolution to at least try and look hopeful.

The diner appeared empty of the people that she both feared and hoped would be there. Archie was the only one of their number who was present, sitting at the counter reading the paper. "Afternoon," he commented cheerfully as she took a seat at the counter and Granny set a glass of iced tea before her. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

She glanced out the window and supposed it would be beautiful. It wasn't terribly cold, or sunny, or cloudy, it was just ordinary. But to her it just looked bland. She wouldn't spoil his fun though, if he was enjoying the day she just couldn't bear to contradict him. So instead she just offered an indifferent shrug and took a long pull from her drink. "Did I uh..." she swallowed taking a glance around to make sure people weren't trying to overhear her. "Did I miss anyone? Has anyone been by?"

"Not yet," Archie said shaking his head. "The dwarves are in the mines. Marco is supposed to be by with August any minute now. They were planning to stop by and check on Blue," she nodded at the information. Archie went back to his paper and she turned her attention to the bracelet she wore against her wrist, just for something to do. She'd stay until he arrived, on the off chance that the fairies had finally figured out a way to track down the strangers, but she wasn't hopeful. They had yet to figure it out, and as much as she tried to be polite and patient she couldn't help the growing thought in the back of her mind that if he were here, he would have had it done by now.

Granny set something in front of her, and she waited for someone to yell out that it was theirs, but the plate didn't move, and she could sense that Granny wasn't moving either. She glanced at the food. Burger and fries. The same thing she'd been offering her every day since he'd gone. The same thing she'd been turning down since he'd left because the thought of eating without him made her feel sick. Still, Granny hovered in front of her with a look of disappointment and anticipation.

"What's a matter?" she asked. "Too many pickles, not enough pickles?"

"No, I…" she shook her head sadly at the comment. She'd never been the one to like them with pickles. In fact, she'd only ever gotten them because he liked them and she could always give him her extras. She had to fight the offer to push the terrible reminder away, trying to tell herself that Granny was only trying to be nice and like everyone else in town had no idea what the pair were like when they were alone together, their little rituals, their likes, their dislikes…suddenly the sight of the burger made her stomach turn. "I…I guess I'm just not hungry," she said, trying to come up with a simple believable excuse.

She could tell by the look the old woman gave Archie that she didn't believe it. That was okay, she didn't need them to believe it, she just needed them to pretend to believe it until Marco arrived and she could go back to library.

"Alright," Archie suddenly sighed and moved over into the seat next to her, "so that's the fourth cheeseburger you've turned down this week."

Her belly clenched as he said the words. She'd tried. She'd tried so hard to hide her dark demeanor and depressing thoughts from her friends. She knew that they would have recognized she was upset but that was all she'd wanted them to see, they didn't need to know that waking up and getting out of bed was like agony, or that every day she didn't see him she lost a little more hope that she ever would again. She couldn't have expected them not to see that she was hurting, but she didn't want her utter suffering revealed. Apparently, if Archie, and Granny from the look she'd given her, had noticed, then she hadn't been doing as well a job as she hoped. Her wound had soaked through its bandages.

"It's about Gold, isn't it?" Archie assumed.

"Well it's certainly not my cooking," Granny commented as she walked off and left the two of them alone.

"You miss him?" Archie went on as if he hadn't heard.

"Yeah," she admitted. There was no point in denying it, Archie was smart. And besides, could it be anything else? Yes, there was something else. She missed him. She missed him more than she'd ever thought possible, but there was more to it than that. Something that had haunted her every hour since the day he'd gone! "And, it's just..." she glanced at Archie, she didn't want to burden anyone else with her thoughts, she wanted to be strong and courageous about this, but she felt like she'd been holding back a sea of emotions behind a weak dam. She'd handled the cracks and leaks as they'd come but now that someone else saw them the rupture was too great to contain. If she was going to break down in front of someone, she'd rather it be Archie in Granny's diner, than in front of strangers.

"He said he was going off to his death," she finally confessed trying to contain her tears, "and I just…I wish...I wish I was able to help him, help save Henry." And that was it. That was the heart of the matter. She missed him so much it hurt! But what hurt more was sitting in the diner, cleaning the library, keeping watch at the town line, feeling useless, and doing nothing while his life was in danger! It was a pain she wasn't sure she could bear.

"But you protected Storybrooke," Archie argued, that same reason Rumple had told her she couldn't go. "That's just as important!" But it was a terrible argument, one she'd come back to over and over again these last few days and could easily refute with one question: why hadn't they given the spell to someone else?!

"All I did was pour a potion over some rocks!" she reminded him. "The dwarves did all the hard work."

"Hey, you wanted to be a hero, sounds like you were," Archie insisted. Well...Archie and Granny weren't the only ones to have noticed her mood then. The only ones who knew about her heroic dreams were Rumple and Leroy, obviously at least one of the dwarves had seen through her sad disguise as well and talked to the others about it. "You kept the bad guys out." But the words, the complement he was attempting to give, was useless to her. She would have been a hero if she was sure Storybrooke had been in danger, but from where she was sitting, after everything that they'd done, and had happened, they weren't in danger.

"What bad guys?!" she snapped. "Come on, face it, nobody's coming here! I wasn't on that ship because he doesn't need me!" Why hadn't they given the potion to someone else? Because after days of thinking about it without any problems in town whatsoever, she understood that its true purpose had been to distract her. He'd known she wouldn't have stayed if he asked, he had done it to be sure she wasn't with him. And she could only imagine that he'd done it because deep down she would have been more trouble than help.

"Beg to differ, sister!" She glanced over to the door and saw Leroy standing there, listening to their conversation. And next to him was a woman...a very odd-looking woman. "Cause this little lady just swam a real long way to find you."

"Ah...maybe you didn't notice the sign," Granny chimed in as she looked the woman over, "no shirt, no shoes, no service."

"Now, you got a dress code?" Leroy complained as she slid out of her seat and moved closer to the woman. "I seem to recall some Ruby outfits that are seared into my brain." Lacey would have been impressed at how little she was wearing, but she was only confused. She wouldn't exactly count any of it as clothes! Except of course the jacket that hung over her shoulders that she assumed was Leroy's. And her hair was soaking, like someone had pushed her into the ocean as a joke, except she wasn't upset. She looked…happy? No. That wasn't the look on her face. She was smiling, true, but it was more like wonder or amazement. Like a small child looking at a playground with awe for the first time, taking in the new environment, too excited to even begin to guess where to begin. Who was this woman? Leroy said she'd come to see her, why? Surely she wasn't one of the strangers Rumple had warned her about!

"So, uh, who are you?" she questioned before Leroy or Granny could distract her further. "Why are you here?"

"I came from Neverland," she answered happily, "Rumpelstiltskin sent me." Her heart stopped and she felt the air leave her lungs as she moved closer to her. She didn't care who she was or why she was here. Everything else had faded away at those words.

"Wait, wait, wait," she mumbled, as her brain put two and two together. Rumple had sent her?! Rumple had sent her! That could only mean one thing. "He's-he's alive!" her throat felt like it squeezed shut and had to fight to work. She hadn't known just how much hope she'd lost until it began to fill up again.

"Yes," the woman answered, sending shock waves through her body. He was alive. He was alive! And now she knew where he was too! Neverland. It wasn't just the heart in her chest that began to pound at the words, she felt like the heart he'd broken when he'd left her with nothing to hold onto but a cloaking spell had suddenly stirred. Hope? Was that what hope felt like when it struggled for life?

The woman rifled through a bag that she hadn't noticed slung against her side and removed…a sand dollar? "And he wanted me to give you this."

She stepped forward to take it, hoping for an inscription, a picture, stick figures, anything, but the dollar looked ordinary to her eyes. She glanced up at the woman as she held it in her hands. No, there had to be more to it than this. He wouldn't send her across realms to give her a sand dollar just...because! Maybe there was something the woman hadn't told her?

"This is it?" she clarified, prompting her to give her more information.

"That's it," the woman shrugged merrily. "He said you'd know what to do," she informed her with an excited smile.

She felt herself smirk at the idea. Of course he'd assume that she'd know what to do. She was about to ask her more, try and figure out what it was that she was supposed to, if there were clues in any of his other words, or even just who this woman was and how she'd managed to cross worlds! Could she teach her? Could she get to Rumple? But Granny was suddenly at her elbow, hands in fists firmly planted on her waist. "Look, uh, I don't care what you have. If you're not dressed, you can't be in here." She turned to tell the old woman that it was important, that surely she could make an exception as it wasn't likely any health inspector would ever find the diner to fine her, but before she could speak another word Granny put an arm around her shoulders, as if to give her a one-armed hug and whispered in her ear "she's making a scene".

Belle picked up her head and glanced around the restaurant. She'd forgotten, this wasn't a check-in like they'd had before where the diner was empty and they could speak openly. There were people in the booths and tables, and nearly all of them were watching them, some discreetly over the tops of a book or newspaper, others openly staring at the red-headed girl with their jaws open. The town was together and calm now, but that didn't mean that a panic couldn't break out. Rude as it seemed, Granny was right, they had to leave. They needed to talk privately.

"Right, um, let's...let's talk outside," she decided, trying to contain her joy and force her brain to work. She took the woman's elbow and quickly led her out onto the porch of the diner, the sand dollar still held tight in her hand. She pulled her aside by a couple of the stacked picnic tables. "Rumpelstiltskin gave this to you?" she clarified again.

The girl nodded her head. "Yes," she repeated. "He told me to give it to you and that you'd know what to do with it. I already told you-"

"I know...did he say anything else? Anything at all?"

She shook her head. "Not about that. He just said he needed something to defeat Pan." Defeat Pan? Pan? She said she'd come from Neverland. Pan as in Peter Pan, then?! Why were they going to defeat Pan? And what exactly did Rumple need?!

"What is it that I'm supposed to get?"

The woman shrugged. "That was when he gave me the sand dollar. Said that he didn't want to tell me in case Pan was listening."

That was certainly her Rumpelstiltskin. But why would he send her a message without actually sending her a message? He was better at planning than that. "Okay..." she sighed frustrated. "I need you to tell me everything. Word for word. What he said to you, how you got here, what's happening in Neverland…"

The woman made a face and bit her bottom lip nervously. "We don't have a lot of time. Only twenty-four hours, less now. It's a long swim here from Neverland."

Her head was swimming. Twenty-four hours? Rumple gave her a time limit? That wasn't like him at all! What would happen when twenty-four hours was up? And did she just say she swam here?! Hadn't Leroy said the same thing?! "When you say you swam here…?"

"I'm a mermaid," she proclaimed proudly catching on. "We can travel between realms. My name is Ariel, by the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so there you have it! Ariel! I always liked this chapter, straight forward chapter I know but writing Ariel came really easy to me and so does Archie and Granny (I hope that they are as in character as I hope they are) and I just love writing her with other people. Don't get me wrong, I love writing her with Rumple, but I also love a nice even mix and writing Belle with others is fun too!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	14. The Ordinary is Extraordinary

She needed to smack her hand against her forehead or pour cold water over herself, she needed to get a grip and start thinking straight. All it took was one mention of Rumple's name and she'd completely forgotten all manners of decency. She hadn't thought to ask how Ariel had got there, or what she was, she hadn't even bothered to ask her name! They needed to take a minute, to reorganize her thoughts, and then begin again. He was alive! That was the most wonderful thing in the world, but she could celebrate later. He needed her and he believed that she could help. It was just a puzzle, one that she needed to solve…apparently in less than twenty-four hours.

"What happens?" she asked curiously. "What happens when twenty-four hours is up?"

"I lose my legs. I have to go back to Neverland." Rumple gave her a time limit? She couldn't think of a time he'd ever done that, especially where she was concerned, and certainly never when he would benefit from the deal. It just didn't make sense.

"Belle!" she glanced up at the door to the diner and saw Leroy standing there. "Granny wanted me to tell you that just because you go outside don't mean you can't be seen." She glanced up at the window and saw the eyes of the people in the diner still throwing them interested glances. He was right. They had to figure this out, they had to think, but this wasn't the place to do it. She glanced down at the dollar still nestled in her hand.

His shop. They had to go to his shop. If he needed something then that was where it would be. And maybe there would even be a way to figure out why he'd given her the dollar. He never did anything without a purpose, there was something important about it. She just had to figure out what.

"Tell Granny I'm handling it," she told the dwarf. "Come with me I know where to go," she attempted to pull Ariel along but the mermaid only nodded and turned to Leroy, pulling the jacket off her shoulders.

"Keep it, sister," Leroy insisted. "You need it more than I do." Yet another thing she'd overlooked. She'd just been standing with her, out the open, cold air, bare feet, nothing but a couple of shells and a ratty looking skirt to cover her up. She must have been freezing. With any luck they could take care of that at the shop too. And maybe the brisk walk in the cool air would do her some good and clear her mind.

"Let's go," she whispered leading the pair of them away from Granny's and down the street toward the library and his shop. Her focus was on the dollar in her hand and figuring out what to do with it, until she noticed Ariel slowing behind her glancing around at the buildings with joy and amazement.

"So this is Storybrooke?"

"Yes," she answered. "Granny's diner is where we came from. That's the library, always easy to find because of the clock tower, that's where I live and work. And there, just across the street and a couple doors down is Rumple's shop."

"Does he live there, too?" she asked curiously.

She was about to say 'no', but he spent more time in that shop than he did in the house and, ever since she moved to the library, she suspected he'd spent more nights there on his cot, or in her apartment, than he had at home. "That depends on your definition of 'live'," she settled on. They didn't exactly have time for her to give Ariel a tour of the town but if they only had twenty-four hours then it really wasn't needed. Diner, library, and shop were probably all that was needed, especially if her hunch was right and what he needed her to find really was in the shop. With any luck once they figured out what it was she could take Ariel back to…where? The docks? The sea? Leroy did say she swam here. Would it really be as simple as grabbing what he needed and taking a short drive to the shore?

No. They had to figure out what he needed first. She glanced down at the dollar again as they arrived at his shop and she unlocked the door. She had to figure out what she was supposed to do with this.

"What's a Mr. Gold Pawnbroker?" Ariel asked behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder at her and saw her staring up at the sign. Mermaids could read! Fascinating. "Pawnbroker," she sighed, "is his occupation and Mr. Gold is the name he goes by here."

"Mr. Gold, right!" Ariel smiled determinedly as she opened the door and let her into the shop. "Oh!" Ariel on gasped as she stared wide-eyed at the room around her. "It's so beautiful. And warm."

She looked her over again and felt a stab of guilt pass through her. How could she have forgotten? How could she not have noticed? Days ago getting her fresh clothes would have been top of the list first thing if they met. Yet, today, she had barely thought twice about it. That needed attention immediately. It wasn't terribly cold out, but it was certainly too cold to be walking around town in the little bit she was wearing and bare feet.

But as much as Lacey wanted to go shopping with the woman and play with the clothes in her closet across the street there just wasn't time. Rumple had once given her clothes in the shop, maybe there were more. She led Ariel quickly into the back room and she marched over to the drawer she'd once found her own in after she'd gotten her memories back, after he'd used the well to bring magic to Storybrooke what seemed like ages ago. The drawer was just a hunch, a place to start, but when she opened it and peered inside she smiled. It was a good hunch. Just like before, it contained everything Ariel would need: skirt, jacket, shirt, right down to shoes, hose, and under garments. Better yet, they all looked like they'd fit the mermaid. A good hunch indeed. If she knew him, he'd probably cast some kind of spell over this drawer; it was the only way to explain the phenomenon.

"These should keep you warm," she said scooping the garments up and placing them into Ariel's arms. "And look a little less conspicuous around town."

She nodded and examined the articles with interest before her face seemed to fall, upset. "Oh, this isn't a dress," she observed sadly. "I know how to wear a dress," she encouraged almost eagerly, as if she expected her to just pull one out of thin air.

It took her a second to put together what her words meant, but it finally came to her as she watched the woman's worried eyes. Of course. She'd lived in the ocean her entire life, she had no idea how to wear clothes made for legs instead of…fins? "It's not a dress, but it's just as easy," she smiled warmly. She never thought she'd ever have to explain how to dress to another woman, at least nothing beyond what looked good with certain colors or what alterations would make a garment look better, but despite the surreal moment of it, she managed with barely a blush. The mermaid watched with interest as she picked up each item, named it, told her where it went and how to hook, button, tie, and zip.

She soaked the information in, almost hungry for every word. To her these items weren't just ordinary objects that she took for granted, they were extraordinary, they were beyond amazing to her. Ariel just stared at the garments, repeating and nodding with quick understanding as she explained, then she took the cloth back from her and nodded with certainty. "Got it!" She disappeared back into the small alcove that separated back room from front room to change and left her staring off into space, amazed. The girl might have been naïve about this world, but she wasn't stupid, that much was clear. She wasn't a hopeless case, she would just need time to learn the world around her.

"So, what do you think about the dollar?" Ariel called out from her hiding spot, once again drawing her attention back to the tiny gift that hadn't left her hand.

She took a seat on the cot and found herself staring at the off white disk. There was a reason for this. There had to be, she just knew it! But she just couldn't think about what that reason might be. "I haven't got a clue," she admitted sadly. What was she missing? Was there something Ariel hadn't told her about it? Did she just need more information?

"Tell me exactly what happened when he gave this to you," she called out, loud enough for Ariel to hear her as she worked. "Start with how Rumple found you," she suggested hoping it was long enough of an explanation to give her some kind of idea what to do, but also short enough that it wouldn't take too much time away from them.

As it turned out, it wasn't Rumple who summoned her. It was Regina. The pair had apparently met some time ago under terrible circumstances, which was not difficult for her to believe given the relationship that she had to the Evil Queen. Ariel didn't go into the past situation, only mentioned that she'd lost her voice and lived in Neverland ever since. But without a voice, the other mermaids had wanted nothing to do with her and she'd been on her own. She knew that there were strangers in Neverland, the Queen had taken her voice not her ears, she'd heard about what was happening but had no idea who the strangers were or her relation to them until she heard the Queen's voice calling to her in the ocean. The Queen had told her that she had a job for her. She needed her help in retrieving something very important and if she succeeded she'd give her what she'd always wanted.

She'd made a mistake then, but she could hardly fault herself for it, deal making was usually his trademark. But it had been Regina that only gave the girl twenty-four hours. She wanted the job done and she wanted it done quickly. The deal was simple, if she did as Rumple asked, if she retrieved what they needed, then she could have legs permanently. But for now it was only a day. She'd called it incentive and she could understand how that would be a deal worth making, on both sides.

Rumple had instructed her to get to Storybrooke and had also been the one to warn her about the cloaking spell. He told her that she needed to bring back an object that would help them defeat Pan but refused to tell her what the object was for fear that Pan would find out. Instead he'd waved his hand over the sand dollar so it glowed. "I think he said, 'find the woman named Belle and then give her this, she'll know exactly what to do,'" she concluded, trying to remember Rumple's exact words as she asked.

"But…" she was trying to think, to look for a hint, a clue, anything! But the words, even if they were exact, were no help at all, and neither was the object. "A sand dollar?!" she questioned aloud with a small disbelieving laugh. It just didn't make any sense to her. Was it a sign? No, they'd never talked about sand dollars or the sea. It was useless. It just didn't mean anything to her! "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Don't ask me," the mermaid called out from behind the wall, answering her rhetorical thoughts. "I'm just the delivery girl."

She gave a heavy sigh. If there wasn't anything special about it, if there wasn't anything written on it, or some hidden meaning, what else could it be? She furrowed her brow as she thought. "She'll know exactly what to do." She didn't know exactly what to do! But obviously he thought that she would. Once more she began going over the details of Ariel's story, hoping to find what she'd missed. Regina. No voice. An object for feet. He'd showed her the way to Storybrooke, picked up the dollar made it glow, and...made it glow! Maybe the key wasn't in his words. Maybe it was in something else. Like his actions! She said he'd waved his hand over it and it had glowed. It glowed! That was it! She'd seen him make objects glow before, in the castle and here, when he was showing Lacey magic. That was it!

If it had glowed, as Ariel said, it could only mean one thing: it wasn't just an ordinary sand dollar…it was enchanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oddly enough this chapter (and the next for that matter) has not been edited. After 4x11 I get asked this a lot, why I haven't edited these two and the answer is because I don't have to. The scene where Belle is held by the Queens of Darkness is in MK&U and in that scene Belle never really sees what the sand dollar does ergo she doesn't know right off the bat what she's looking for here and besides...I kinda like how Belle puts two and two together here without knowing all that. I hope that you will too!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	15. The Strength of Their Love

The sand dollar was enchanted. She'd figured out that much. But what was this one enchanted to do? And how did he expect her to make it do what he wanted it to?! She couldn't do magic, at least not without the blue fairy or the dwarves around the do the heavy lifting. Should she take it to them? No. As if the event in the mines had happened yesterday, she recalled the fairies comment perfectly. He'd sent Ariel to her for a reason, she had to be the one to do this. But how?!

She looked the dollar over carefully and thought hard. It wasn't a spell, so it wasn't a matter of belief like the cloaking spell. Enchantments were different. The last thing he'd enchanted for her had been the tea cup when she was in the hospital. He'd told her she only needed to look at it to make it work. But she'd been looking at the dollar and nothing was happening! Was there just something she wasn't seeing? Did she need to look harder or closer? She glanced up at his work table, hoping it would give her answers. He had a magnifying glass there on the corner. It wasn't the most brilliant plan she'd ever thought of but if there was something more on it to see then the magnifying glass could only help.

She pushed herself up off the cot and grabbed the glass, then set the dollar on the table. But she had barely fiddled with the object before she saw something gold reflecting off the dollar. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as smoke began to shimmer above it.

"Looks like you figured it out," Ariel commented behind her. She wouldn't call it "figuring it out" as much as she'd call it "luck". In the end, she'd over thought the process. All she'd had to do was set the thing down and it would have worked for her sooner! Of course it was that easy! But she didn't have a moment to chastise herself further, because he was there, stopping her. As she stared at the golden mist her, his face suddenly greeted her and it was enough to pull her out of the lake of sorrows she felt she'd been drowning in and bring her back to the surface to breathe again.

"Belle," he was here! He truly was alive, he was whole, he looked…certainly not good, but healthy and determined at least. That was far better than the images the nightmares had summoned in her head. She felt herself smile in relief as tears filled her eyes, she could talk to him!

"Rumple," she reached out to touch him but her hand went right through the image.

"I hope you raised the cloaking spell," his voice went on as if she'd said nothing. Her heart sank as she realized what had happened, what he'd done. He wasn't here. He couldn't see her or talk to her. The enchantment on the dollar, it was merely a recording of some kind. A message. She fought to catch her breath and contain her excitement and heartache. He wasn't dead, he was alive. And she might not be able to speak to him but he was trying to tell her something, to get her to retrieve something, as much as she just wanted to stare at him, she had to listen.

"The people heading for town are far more dangerous than I first believed, unwitting pawns in Pan's game," her stomach turned at the words. He was telling her this  _after_ she'd raised the cloaking spell? Did that mean they weren't as safe as she was beginning to suspect? Was he going to tell her to do something more? "I told you I was going to my death," he went on, "I've found another way. I can defeat Pan and live, but only if you get me something from the shop. The object I need is hidden, but I know that with the strength of our love, you'll find it."

She nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her and the reminder was all too prevalent as the image suddenly disappeared back into the dollar without warning. Her mind was a flurry of thoughts and emotions she couldn't quite get a grip on. Hope. Anticipation. Excitement. Determination. She couldn't figure out what she wanted to feel first. Her body had been living in such a sad gray state that the happiness she felt was too overwhelming. It was so stunning she couldn't move! But slowly she focused, forcing herself to acknowledge the world around her. Her heart beat, her lungs filled, blood circulated through her veins, and her fingers dug into the wooden counter. She reached forward and grabbed the blessed dollar, holding it in her hand as she smiled.

"He's really into being cryptic, isn't he?" Ariel observed. At some point the girl had come to stand by her side, but she hadn't noticed. She'd only seen him, healthy, alive, and whole. And trusting her to do what he couldn't. He was coming back. Her heart soared at the revelation. He was coming home! This was all going to end, there was hope! She just needed to find something. Something unknown. Exciting as the news was they weren't out of the woods yet. He needed her, now more than ever.

"He wants my help!" she burst out happily, still trying to contain her excited tears, "he wants me to save him, Henry, everyone!" That was the type of hero she wanted to be! It was more than she ever wanted and more. They'd saved the town together, maybe now they could save everyone else together, and even each other.

"So you know what you're supposed to find then?!" Ariel assumed optimistically.

"No," she muttered sadly, glancing around the shop. And there was the one flaw in the plan. She didn't. She had no idea what he was talking about. He hadn't told Ariel and he hadn't stated it in the message. "But it's here somewhere," she assured them both, remembering that little bit. She'd been right about that, she'd known him well enough to come to the shop first thing, now she just needed to figure out the next part.

She'd find the hiding place with the strength of their love?

The strength of their love?! What did that mean? What could it mean? The safe was full of items, she'd seen that yesterday when she'd placed Bae's shawl there for safe keeping. He'd told her that it was strong himself; impenetrable! It couldn't be that easy, could it? But then again the dollar had been that easy, so she found herself marching out into the main room, swinging the picture forward, and unlocking the metal door. The shawl, stacks of money, potions, ingredients, it was all there just as she remembered...but none of it struck her as something Rumple needed. She felt around its interior, as if expecting to find a latch of some kind or maybe a secret compartment, but she was wrong. The items in the safe weren't what he needed, it was too obvious a hiding spot, something he'd told her himself the night they'd hidden the dagger.

It had been a good guess, she allowed herself to acknowledge, but it had been her only guess. It made sense! He'd loved her, he'd told her about the safe, and the shawl, he'd trusted her with the key…but that was the problem. He'd told her about the safe because he trusted her. That was the strength of their trust not their love! And he wouldn't risk keeping something he wanted hidden in the front room, it had to be in the back...whatever it was.

She relocked the safe and returned to the small room to see Ariel fiddling among the shelves. "Did you find it?" Ariel asked hopefully. She merely shook her head glancing around the room.

Their love? The strength of their love? Something from his castle maybe? She'd seen his spinning wheel when she'd been Lacey, pushed back into a corner? Was there something hidden with it or around it? Was there anything else from the castle here? Her eyes scanned the shelves, rafters, and objects carefully as she made her way toward the wheel, not wanting to risk missing anything.

"Look at this stuff!" Ariel muttered behind her. Even focused as she was she could hear the amazement in the mermaids voice. She couldn't say she'd blamed her, for a mermaid that wanted to be human there was no better place to explore.

"Yeah," she smiled, "He's a bit of a…collector." Well, "collector" was one way to put it at least. "Pack rat" was another, in Lacey's opinion. Better yet, "dark sorcerer who didn't want to forfeit anything to anyone else so they might gain power" was the best way to put it. But she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at that thought.

Lacey had seen the magic as good, she'd seen it as a part of him that could be used for good things. Of course, to Lacey "good things" meant selfish things, but it was the concept she now found interesting. If she was honest with herself she'd never seen magic as good. She'd always hated the temptation even the simplest of spells held over him. But now that she thought of it, Lacey had a point. Magic was a part of him, it was also a dark temptation, she couldn't deny that completely, but when he was using it for good things, not selfish desires, it was good! The fact that he'd gone off after Henry, protected the town from coming evil, and now was using it to defeat the person holding them captive in Neverland, she couldn't be prouder of his skills.

She smirked at the discovery as her eyes combed the wall. Lacey had been accepting, truly accepting, of everyone. Boldness. Talent. Acceptance. She'd found something else that she liked about her cursed personality. It was still a short list, but she was happy that it was growing.

"This is a…"

She turned, her heart fluttering hopefully that Ariel had found something. But it was just a plain common day object. "Corkscrew," she informed the girl. "That's not what Rumple needs."

She had hoped it might focus her, but then again she wasn't really sure how much help Ariel was going to be. To begin with she was a mermaid who was just starting to discover human objects. If she didn't know that a corkscrew was useless, then what could she really expect. But then it was  _their_ love that she needed to use to find the object. They'd both only just met Ariel, she wouldn't know anything about that. And as she looked around the shop, even she was confused about the instructions! What help could the mermaid really give her?!

She made her way over to a cabinet, looking over a globe, some picture frames, and some other dusty knick knacks. No. It was none of this.

"It's…"

She turned quickly but with less enthusiasm than before to see Ariel breathless and beaming at something small in her hands. "Ah..." she took a couple of steps forward to get a better look and peered down at the small object, "button," she stated, identifying the object with another small smile. She liked Ariel, something about her interest and curiosity was sweet. And she couldn't help but be reminded of her first days in this new world and she'd had to come up with funny names for objects she'd never seen, before Rumple could tell her what they were really called and what they were used for. She knew what it felt like to be around things she didn't understand. But, if they were successful, and Ariel got her legs, then there would be time to learn later. She could come back to Storybrooke and they'd have all the time in the world to identify every object in the shop! But for now they didn't need every object in the shop. Just one.

"Also not what he needs," she concluded, this time trying to focus herself as well.

"No! I know!" Ariel exclaimed suddenly. "But Eric, he..." she glanced down at the button with a look that she thought she'd seen before, a happy one that she'd observed on her own face as she stood before the giant mirror in his castle. When she'd been in love with him, but hadn't yet known it. "He had one just like it on his jacket when I rescued him."

"And Eric is?"

"He's a prince," she couldn't help but smile as Ariel practically swooned at a memory she was reliving. Yes, she knew that look, that feeling, well. "The kind with legs!" she added quickly, making her laugh. Suddenly Ariel wanting legs and Regina's promise of them made a lot more sense. She glanced around her again, saving the information in her head and hoping to move on, but Ariel couldn't. "I fell in love with him a long time ago," she explained as her voice lilted and her eyes fell, "but it didn't work out," she finished with a false smile. She knew that look too. What had separated her from Eric as she'd been separated from her love?

"Because you're a mermaid?" she questioned.

"Something like that," she breathed, casually pocketing the small object. It was okay with her. She could keep it as far as she was concerned. She didn't know why Rumple had it but if they ever needed it in the future she was sure she'd know where to find it. Ariel would no doubt keep it with her forever. And right now, as much as she wanted to comfort the girl and get the full story, the small button paled in comparison to whatever object they really needed.

"Well, that's just one more reason that we need to succeed!" she pointed out, suddenly finding the motivation that Ariel would need to help instead of explore. If Eric had lived in their world then that meant he was in Storybrooke and if she got her legs permanently then whatever was standing in their way, whether it was because she was a mermaid or not, wouldn't be there. If they did this, then maybe there was hope for Ariel too. She nodded, understanding what she was saying. They could do this, they just needed to focus.

"So, Rumple said I'd find the hiding space with the strength of our love," Ariel cocked her head and looked around. But she knew it wouldn't help. She needed to do this. She took a few aimless steps as she glanced around the room. Maybe she was supposed to go to the spinning wheel. It had been where she'd first kissed him! That had been love! But it hadn't strengthened their love. His reaction that tragic day had torn them apart not brought them back together. Something else then...

She looked up and down the work table and gasped as she spotted the object just as precious to her as that button was to Ariel. Or course! She pointed it out and moved around a curious looking Ariel. "There's only one thing he could have been talking about!" she said as she reached for the cool glass of the tea cup and held it securely in her hands.

"That's a…"

"Teacup!" she finished happily. Why hadn't she thought of this before? It was this cup! That was it! Without a doubt! Their love! The one object that represented the strength of their love! It had never separated them, only bound them together closer. Healed old wounds. Given them hope. It had fixed what had been broken. This was what she needed to find.

"It's chipped," Ariel observed with a suspicious voice.

"I know," she beamed, still loving its imperfection and the memory she had of the day it'd been made. "But no matter how much this thing's been through it's survived. Just like our love," she explained, tears threatening to pour out of her eyes as she stared down at the fragile keepsake. It had survived and he would too. They'd be together again and they'd find that their love had survived as well!

"So, what now!" Ariel exclaimed, breaking her attention from the teacup and returning it to the task at hand. The teacup wasn't what he needed her to get. It was only supposed to lead her to the hiding place of the thing she needed. But how? "Do we make tea?" Ariel questioned for her.

"I'm not sure," she commented, ignoring the tea suggestion and looking around the shelves. Was she supposed to enchant it? Or cast a spell over it? No. He would have known she couldn't do that and given her instructions if that was what he wanted. And he knew that she wouldn't have wanted to share the cup with the Mother superior for help. She was far too protective of it to let just anyone handle it. They both were. So if she wasn't supposed to enchant it, then what else?

Maybe it was like the dollar. Maybe it was already enchanted. Maybe it just needed to be set down and whatever magic had been cast over it needed to be allowed to work! But it had been sitting all this time and set down hundreds of times before this, she'd never seen it do anything extraordinary! She glanced at the shelves, the logical side of her mind evaluating each object and where it sat, seemingly unorganized…to everyone but him. Whether there was a method to his madness or not everything had its place here. Maybe that was it! A key was useless until put in the right lock, wasn't it?

Maybe it was just a matter of finding the right place to put it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene and the next...I can't even begin to tell you just how much they irritated me. I get that we want to make Belle look smart but sometimes it just comes off so easy it's laughable. Her looking for the cup and then setting it down in the right spot just once to me just...ugh, it irritated me. You've heard me rant and rave over and over again at hat sometimes there are just certain scenes that don't translate well from screen to page, sometimes I think these scenes are the opposite. They do better in writing because we can get inside Belle's head and see the process that leads her to her breakthroughs and it's not just some lucky guess! That's what I think, maybe you'll agree? Maybe not...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	16. Victory and Defeat

She thought hard. She searched her mind for an answer. The cup had moved around a bit but it belonged in this shop, in this room, it had to! She knew he wouldn't keep anything truly important out front. But then where did it belong back here? Lacey had a memory, of the time he'd brought her back, he'd pulled it out of the cabinet. It wasn't much, but it was something to go on. Better than nothing.

"Rumple used to keep it in here..." she told Ariel turning toward the old piece of furniture. She opened the doors and peered inside. Before, when it had been in pieces, he'd kept it in a bag, on the top shelf, right next to what looked like…an empty saucer! She hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was a hunch, nothing more, but where else did a teacup belong?! Could it really be this simple?

Gently, she set the cup down in the center of the saucer. Light burst forth from the circle the contact made and she watched as the sparks snaked down from the object and fell against the floor. Where there had once been solid wood, she now observed a separate square with a metal latch in the middle-a trap door. She gapped in amazement and let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. A glance up told her Ariel was just as astounded as she was. "He enchanted it! It's-it's a key!" she explained in simpler terms as she stooped down, lifted the latch, and pulled away the small square.

A gray box with a red jewel on the top sat within its depths and the sight of it made her jaw drop. The cube. The one that Samuel had the day he'd tried to trap Rumpelstiltskin! She hadn't seen it since then, though she knew that he'd collected it and she still had no idea what it was.

No! That wasn't true. Was it? She retrieved it from its crevice and examined it further, looking for a flaw, for something that would tell her she was wrong or it was fake. But when she saw the Alpha and Omega letters on the front her suspicions were confirmed. All of the signs pointed to only one possibility. She knew what this was! She had known, she should have known back when Samuel had explained his plan to her but...how could she have?! Her mind had been otherwise occupied then and now-

"It's a box," Ariel commented, confused beside her.

No, it wasn't just a box. It was more than that.

"I've read about this in my books," she gaped still looking the tiny thing over, "but I-I didn't realize it was real! Or that Rumple had it!" Or that she'd seen it before! But she really shouldn't have been that surprised. If she had known it was real then she would put it all together sooner. She would have guessed it was in his shop. Who else would have it? Who else would want it?! And really, at the end of the day, what wasn't in this shop?

"What is it?"

"It's Pandora's box!" she revealed. "Legend says it contains the worlds darkest evil."

"Shouldn't you be wearing gloves or something?"

"No," she smiled as she shook her head at the touching concern. She didn't think she needed gloves. Samuel hadn't used gloves. "As long as we don't open it we're fine." So long as the legends were true, at least, but that probably wasn't something to bring up at the moment.

"Oh," Ariel sighed, "yeah, sure. So, what do you think's inside of it."

The world's darkest evil? She didn't know what that entailed, and she didn't particularly want to know. But it didn't matter. So long as Rumple knew and so long as he knew how to use it then her cluelessness wasn't important. So long its contents brought him home to her, then it could be Gaston for all she cared. "Well, whatever it is, it's what Rumple's gonna use to defeat Pan," she shrugged looking it over. Evil or not, it was salvation right now.

Suddenly, she heard a click behind her and Ariel jumped. Instinctively, she hid the box behind her back and turned to look at two men that she'd never seen before standing in the back of his shop. Her heart raced as she looked them over. Not only were they completely unfamiliar to her, they were holding guns. She didn't need to ask who they were, she knew. The "others", the one's Rumple had warned her about, the one's she'd been on alert for since she'd set the spell. It was them. She knew it instantly. They'd gotten through after all. But how had they found the pair of them? And better yet how had they gotten into the shop without her hearing the bell?! Had she really been that wrapped up in the box it had escaped her notice.

She swallowed a lump in her throat, but it wouldn't move. None of that mattered. Like it or not they were here now and only one thing mattered. Keep the box safe. And stay alive. Above all else, she had to make sure they stayed alive.

"All that trouble for a box," the tall one muttered casually as they stared the women down. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode. He knew about the box? Had he known about that before? Was Pan onto him despite Rumple's carefulness? Or had he overheard them?

"Who are you?" she asked, bravely, wondering if maybe she could talk her way out of the situation.

"We're the people you tried to keep out of Storybrooke," the shorter one confirmed menacingly. "Nice try," he hissed, "now, give us the box."

"No," she refused flat-out.

"You can either give us the box, or we'll pry it out of your grip in death," the one with glasses threatened. "Your choice. You get until the count of three to decide. One…" The last thing she wanted was to give the box away, but she also didn't want to be dead. With Bae gone he would never survive if he lost her too. Besides, if they died then every hope of defeating Pan and saving the group in Neverland, including him, died with them. Alive, at least they stood a chance at getting the box back somehow. "Two…"

"Okay! Okay! Let's just," she swallowed and pulled the object out from behind her back, holding it forward like it was a peace offering. "Let's just talk about this."

"The box," Glasses spat, "set it on the table and step away."

Reluctantly, she did as he said. It wasn't complete surrender and so long as it was in her sight there was still hope. "Hey!" Ariel cried, stepping forward to grab it back, "don't give it to them! That doesn't belong to you!" she yelled at the men.

She wrapped a hand tightly around her arm before she could reach the table and pulled her back. Glasses trained the gun on Ariel at her sudden motion. "Ariel, don't move," she ordered harshly, realizing that the girl had no idea what a gun was or what it could do. She had no idea how dire the situation truly was and now wasn't the moment to explain it to her.

"But why? They're just-"

"We're making the rules here," Glasses insisted. "What we say goes."

"But-"

"Ariel, just listen to them," she snapped under her breath as she eyes maintained focused on the gun. She felt the tense, determined muscles of her arms soften as her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Good," Glasses muttered as he observed them. "Let's finish up here," he said to his partner. She watched as Shorty disappeared behind the curtain and reemerged with a long length of rope in his hand. Rope. To be tied up. She was about to be a prisoner again. How did this keep happening to her?!

"Please!" she begged, "you don't need to do that, you don't need to-"

"Shut. Up." Glasses stated as Shorty pulled two stacked chairs down and set them back to back. "Sit." He commanded, making a motion with the gun. She definitely didn't want to do that. She tried to think. Options, she needed options. They could use the back door, it led out to the ally! Had she locked it yesterday? The rush of blood to her head was making it difficult to think. She glanced quickly at the knob. "Ah!" Glasses shouted, making her jump and drawing her attention back to him. "Try it and I shoot." She didn't want to be prisoner again, but that wasn't the goal in this moment. Their new aim was to stay alive. If they were alive there was hope. It was her new mantra. It was all that mattered.

With a defeated sigh she stepped forward, taking Ariel with her and planted herself in the chair. Ariel resisted a bit, clearly still confused, but Shorty pushed her down and forced her arms behind the chair's back and began wrapping and tying. With a straight, furious, look at Glasses, she balled her hands into fists and angrily placed them behind her back without a word. It felt less like she was being captive again, and she hoped that maybe if she kept her muscles tense, and he didn't wrap the rope tight enough, she'd be able to slip out of her bonds when they were gone.

"Nice and tight," Glasses commanded, as if he could read her expression. The ropes bit into her wrists. And Shorty didn't stop there. He moved the ropes around their legs, over their waists like a seat belt, and even over their chests. No. She couldn't let this happen. How would they ever break free from this?! She wriggled, wishing she'd been more defiant. She should have kicked them, scratched, shoved, something to knock the guns from their hands! All she could do now was hope her shaking would make the ropes difficult to tie and looser. "Stay. Still." Glasses insisted, as Shorty tied off the rope.

"I don't understand," Ariel snapped. "Why do we keep doing what he tells us?"

"Because he has a gun," she explained with more frustration than she'd meant to express. It wasn't her fault, she knew that, but she felt Lacey's irritation pushing to the surface and felt as though the smallest thing would get on her nerves at the moment. The way Shorty obeyed Glasses without question, the way Glasses seemed to know what she was doing every time she tried something to loosen her bonds, and, yes, even Ariel's innocent questions.

"What's a gun?"

"Trust me," Glasses commented, almost patiently, "you don't want to find out." That was fine, better he answer now instead of her.

She watched as Shorty completed his job, stood, and collected the box from where she'd set it on the table. Her face fell as he glared at her.  _What now?_  she thought as he stalked toward her. But just when she thought he was going to say something to her, or shoot them, he changed course and she heard him behind her, talking to Ariel.

"What did Rumpelstiltskin tell you about this box?" he demanded. If they hadn't been tied up, she might have been relieved. He hadn't told her anything about the box! She had nothing to say to them. But that didn't mean she wouldn't reveal what she had told her about the box. And it certainly didn't mean that they would believe her even if she told them nothing.

"I'm not afraid of you," the red-head insisted bravely, "or your gun! And not just because I don't know what it is."

"Shall we demonstrate?" Glasses asked menacingly. No! That was the opposite of what she wanted to happen! If they shot her like this she was fairly certain they weren't the type of people to untie them and take them to the hospital. Even if the shot wasn't deadly, as the wound to her shoulder had been, she could still bleed out before they got help. "The box!" Glasses insisted. "What's in it?!"

She closed her eyes regretting, for once, the information in her head. She wished she could honestly say "we didn't know" but she wasn't the best liar in the world, and when she looked at these men, she knew they were serious. They'd shoot if they didn't get their answers. "It's magic!" she informed them, her gut twisting at her words. "Which you're only going to destroy anyway, so why do you even care?!" she went on recalling the goal of Greg and Tamara, their partners.

"Because our boss wants to know," she craned her head at Shorty's answer, but couldn't get a perfect view of him.

"Your boss?" she questioned. Who on earth were these people working for?! Rumple's words rang clear in her head. The message, he'd told her exactly who these people were working for, but she couldn't decide if knowing the information made it better or worse.  _"The people heading for town are far more dangerous than I first believed, unwitting pawns in Pan's game."_  She couldn't be positive what Rumple's words meant to them, but she knew one thing, they had no idea who they were really dealing with. Especially if they weren't residents of Storybrooke. "You don't even know what this is all about. Or who you're working for!" she accused, hoping she could spark some sense into them, and figure this out.

"Peter Pan," Glasses stated outright.

"What?" she breathed, shocked that she'd guessed wrong. How did they know Peter Pan? How was he relaying information to them? And better yet, if they knew who they were working for and what was going on, they why were they doing it?

"Yes," Shorty chimed in, "we know exactly who we're working for."

"But Rumple said that-"

"Greg and Tamara didn't know," Glasses explained. "They were…patsies. We, on the other hand, are aware of our real mission."

"Which is what?" she asked nervously.

"Seeing that your Rumple fails," her jaw dropped. "That this thing, never makes it back to Neverland." She glanced at the guns in their hands as her brain did it's best to digest this new information. No. Rumple couldn't have been completely wrong. They were pawns! There was something they didn't know! But there was something she didn't know either and the question was suddenly screaming angrily in her head using the pissed off voice and vocabulary she'd come to know as Lacey's. Who the hell really was Peter Pan?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been edited in order to correct the mistakes in the Once Upon a Time comic Out of the Past. I had to figure out a way to incorporate Pandora's Box there and here without Belle realizing it until this scene and I hope, really I do, I hope that I did a halfway decent job!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	17. When Brain Meets Brawn

Glasses stared her down as Shorty placed the box into his hands obediently. Her jaw tightened with anger as she watched the action. "Please," she begged. "Don't do this. You don't know what that box means-"

"All we need to know," Glasses cut her off with a raised voice, "is what this box does for us!" The words were strange. They had orders to keep the box away from Rumple? What did they get out of it?! But before she had a moment to think about it, or ask questions, Glasses leaned down to look her dead in the eye. "It was a pleasure making your acquaintance. Do us a favor and be good girls while we're gone." She swallowed and clenched her jaw so hard she thought her teeth might break. She made a motion to kick the man, but quickly found herself immobile as she remembered her limbs were tied down to the legs of the chair. But Glasses still noticed the motion and smiled proudly at their work. "Let's go," he said to Shorty. "We're done here."

She watched as the boys turned and left the room, the curtain flapping in their wake. Though she couldn't see them, she heard them walk swiftly across the front room and leave without a word. The second she heard the bell chime and the door slam she let out a deep breath she didn't know she'd been holding in. They were gone, but they'd taken the box with them. No! She couldn't let this happen. That box was everything! Rumple's life, Henry's life, and the lives of everyone in Neverland depended on that box making its way into Rumple's hands. She couldn't just let it get away!

"Ariel, try, can you move anything?!"

"No," she answered. "Does this sort of thing happen a lot in your world?"

Her world? No. Her life? Too many times for her to count. But no, that wasn't going to happen, she wasn't going to be taken prisoner again, she wasn't going to need saving, she was going to break free. She was going to save herself. She had to! She fought, she squirmed, she pulled and pushed, stretched and strained, but nothing happened. The ropes groaned against the old wood, but held fast. Her heart fell as she slumped in the chair and let out a tired defeated angry cry.

"They're too tight!" she realized sadly. Determination and bravery was nothing, if she didn't have strength! How many times would she find herself wishing she could trade her brain for strength. She'd been lucky with Mulan, but there was no sword to help her now. She could scream, but she was certain by the time people came and found them it would be too late. Her mother couldn't get her out of this...

"We'll find a way out," Ariel reassured her.

"What makes you so sure?" she knew that tone, she'd had it once upon a time, when she believed that everything would work out in the end.

"Because," Ariel responded, "I'm an optimist." Despite the encouragement she knew the girl had meant to give her, she could help but find the words irritating. She'd been able to think that way once, without a doubt, but it appeared he'd taken her confidence with him as well.

"I wish I could be," she confessed to the wall in front of her, "but every time I try to be a hero it just…" ended up with her in a dungeon, or chains, or across the town line, or tied to a chair! What was the point?! She couldn't even claim she had her mind on her side since he'd gone. She wouldn't have known how to set that spell without the others there. She wouldn't have known about the fairy dust! He kept giving her opportunity after opportunity to be the hero she'd confessed she longed to be, and time and time again, she not only failed, she let him down as well. "It feels like it back fires," she concluded sadly, trying to hold back her tears of insufficiency. And this time, it wasn't just her, or Rumple, suffering. This time she was letting down Henry, and Emma, and the Charmings…and the girl behind her whose dreams of living on land and being reunited with her own true love were destroyed as well. Wasn't there anything she could do right?

"I'm sorry you won't get to be with Eric."

"Don't worry about me," she said in a gentle tone. "Even after the magic wears off this bracelet, I'll find him and I will tell him how I feel. As long as he lives near the beach."

"Wait!" she exclaimed, picking up on a part of the tale that she hadn't heard before. "A bracelet? Is-is that what turned your tail into legs?!" she asked eagerly. Ariel hadn't mentioned anything about a bracelet! She had noticed it of course, it stood out on her wrist like a sore thumb against her new clothes, but she hadn't understood the significance of it. She'd just assumed Regina had given her a spell or a potion to get her legs, not an enchantment! An enchantment that might be able to be undone just as easily as it had been done.

"Yeah, why?"

Her jaw dropped in amazement as a plan clearly fell into place in her mind. "I think we can get out of here!" she exclaimed. And if they could get out of these ropes, then Rumple's hope wasn't gone completely!

"How?"

"By stretching your fins!" Their legs were tied to the chair, but her feet couldn't remain tied if she didn't have any. And the strength of enchantments was certainly stronger than any ropes two non-magical beings had brought with them. "Can you get that bracelet off?" she asked, hoping there was enough slack in the ties to allow at least that simple motion.

The ropes pulled around her body as she felt Ariel struggle behind her as instructed. She was trying, she could feel it, and her heart ached as she released a quiet "ow" as she worked, but the more she pushed and pulled the more she realized that the men had done their job well. The ropes weren't going to budge, at least not without Ariel breaking a bone in the process. "No, I can't reach it," she cried disappointed.

"Okay," but she wasn't ready to give up yet. The bracelet worked in their favor, the boys had no idea what it was, so while they had tied the ropes so that they couldn't aid in their own escape, were they so tight that they couldn't have aided in each other's escape? Was it possible for her to reach the bracelet? "Here," she reached her arm out behind her, grabbing at air, searching for anything that might be helpful. She fumbled, but then felt cotton that didn't belong to her, Ariel's sleeve! She raked her fingers down until she felt the prick of something like bound untidy bones. They were curved!

"You got it?!"

"I can! I can!" she rejoiced, getting a good grip on the thing and pulling it free from Ariel's wrist. The world seemed to suddenly speed up. Too many things were happening at once. She heard the familiar "poof" of magic that she recognized from when Rumple summoned something into being. Ariel's tail forming? She rocked forward, holding her breath waiting for the moment the ropes would slacken for her so she could get free enough to untie them. But then there was an unsteady creak of the chairs, a sharp gasp from Ariel, and she felt herself inhale a surprised scream as the world suddenly fell sideways and landed painfully on her shoulder on the floor of Rumple's shop.

Her cheek stung as her head hit the floor, but the pain from the fall was immediately put out of her mind as she suddenly felt something wonderful. The ropes were loose! She could get out! She could break free! She…

Was already being freed!

"See!" Ariel commented as she looked up and felt the girls hands working the ropes around her wrist. "That didn't backfire."

No. It hadn't. And it was just what she needed to lift her spirits! It was lucky, she had to admit, but once again it was her brain that had helped them out of this mess, even if it was Ariel's tail that had been the brawn! Rumple would be proud, she knew he would be. It hadn't just been her intelligence that had broken them free, but her intelligence in his craft, the little bits and pieces she'd put together after all the time they'd spent with each other. It wasn't just her that had freed them, it had been the pair of them, together. And with any luck it would be the pair of them that saved Henry, if only they could get that box back!

"Ariel," she sighed as she struggled out of the ropes, freeing her legs from their bonds and shoving aside the restraints from her waist. "I really wish I had time to properly thank you but right now-"

"We're pressed for time. I got that," she finished. Yes, she was right about the mermaid. She may have been naïve to this world, but she certainly wasn't stupid. And although she didn't have time to thank her now, she silently vowed that if it was what she wanted, when she came back to Storybrooke after this was all over, she would help her find Prince Eric or die trying.

"Bracelet!" Ariel commanded, pointing to the spot on the floor where the delicate item had fallen in the collision.

She retrieved it without a second thought and turned back to hand it to her. Extraordinary. She really was a mermaid! Fins and all! She'd known that, of course, she hadn't thought that she'd lied; she'd just never actually seen one before in the flesh…scales. Amazed, she handed the bracelet over and stared transfixed as she attached it to her arm again. The same poof of blue magic that she assumed had given the girl her fins back now hung over her again and cleared to reveal legs, right down to the stockings and shoes she'd been wearing. It was extraordinary, truly remarkable, but there would be time to ask questions later. She offered her hands and helped Ariel stand.

"Are you okay?" she asked breathless.

She nodded. "Yeah, are you?" she asked, making a motion to the shoulder she hadn't realized that she'd been holding.

"Perfect. But we have to go, we've got a box to find." Ariel nodded eagerly in agreement, and without a second thought the pair of them left the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, she again with the luck. I think it really is much better when you can see the thought process. After all, she's brilliant right, so her most interesting scenes are going to be quiet ones that she can think through. Now, let's see if I can salvage that scene in the mine!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	18. Working Together

She left the shop with Ariel right on her heels. "Where did they go?" she asked as she heard the slam of the door behind her. She could come back to lock the shop later, right now they needed to find that box!

"Well, the protection spells still up so they can't leave Storybrooke," she commented as she peered around and looked up and down the street. At least that was how she assumed it would work...hoped it would work, because it if didn't, and they'd taken the box outside the town already, then they really were doomed. She took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand as she gave the street another glance. But it was useless, they were gone.

"Well then what are they going to do with the box?!" Ariel asked desperately. She couldn't say she blamed her. Getting her legs back, her prince, all depended up on her bringing that box back to Neverland. And frankly, she wasn't alone, getting  _her_ prince back depended on the exact same thing. But they'd been in the shop too long and she knew that if the boys were smart, they wouldn't have just idly stood in the street chatting with the box in their possession, they would have left right away to do as Pan had commanded. That was the answer, their only clue as to where the men would have gone in Storybrooke. Pan sent them to make sure that box never made it to Neverland, what would that entail?

"Well, if I wanted to make sure it doesn't end up in Neverland, I'd…destroy it!" Her breath caught as she came to the only logical conclusion there was, the only way to be certain the box never made it to Neverland. They had to make sure it didn't exist. No, she couldn't let that happen! But they had a head start on her, she had no idea where they'd gone…there had to be some way to put this all together, to find where they'd taken it! And hope that they hadn't succeeded yet.

"But how do you destroy something so powerful?" Ariel gawked, helping to focus her thoughts yet again.

"You need something just as strong," she commented, the answer rolling too easily off of her tongue. It was remarkable how much information she'd absorb from Rumple when she wasn't trying to, both in this world and in theirs. He'd never told her that but she'd seen him shot through the heart with an arrow, and he'd still survived because the magic within the bow had been weak compared to his own. By his own admission the only thing powerful enough to kill him was his dagger.

"Like what? More magic?" Magic. Like the dagger. It was powerful enough to destroy him but would it be powerful enough to destroy the box? No. Yes. Perhaps?! It might have been able to destroy the box, but she wasn't positive on its location or if the men even knew about it! Even if they did they'd have to find it and it would simply take too long. It was more time than they were willing to spend. And until she knew otherwise, she had to assume that they didn't know about the dagger. So, if it wasn't the dagger, then what was it? What could possibly be left here, that Pan's pawns would know about that could destroy something like Pandora's box…

"No!" It didn't need to be magic, just magical. Her jaw dropped as she recalled the moments before she'd set the protection spell around town, when they'd been in the mines and non-magical beings had used power magic.  _"Dwarf axes are made of the strongest metal, imbued with a magic all their own from our realm, they can pulverize anything in a matter of seconds,"_ Mother superior had told her.  _"That must've been why Greg and Tamara needed one to activate the diamond,"_ Archie had commented.

"No, a dwarves pick axe," she informed Ariel. The dwarf axes were strong. Greg and Tamara, lesser pawns, had known about them. The men would too. "The kind that can smash a diamond. The kind that their friends who took Henry, used to start all this trouble." She'd nearly forgotten. It had been strong enough to bring about the destruction of town, it would certainly be strong enough to destroy a box. The dwarves pick axes! That was it! They were headed for the mines…and so were they. "Come on, hurry."

She raced down the street, searching her pockets, doing her best not to trip or twist her ankle in heels not suitable for this mission as she went. She wouldn't make that mistake again, until he came back she'd make sure she was ready for anything, because if today proved anything at all it was a reminder that she had to expect the unexpected, in this town and from the Dark One. She managed to find her cell phone in the pocket of her coat along with her keys. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, her body performing too many tasks at once, she felt like she had to remind herself to breathe or else she would have forgotten.

She looked through her cell phone, going over the number of new contacts she'd acquired from Ruby, until she found the one she needed most. Leroy. "Ariel," she muttered breathless as she reached the car. "Hold this to your head like this," she demonstrated, recalling when she'd first needed every little thing demonstrated. "Someone is going to talk to you and you're going to talk back, normally, as if he's right here with you. Got it?" Ariel nodded and she pushed the green button to make the call before handing it to the girl and unlocking the car. She did as she told her, making a quizzical face as she listened to the sounds on the other end of the line and folded herself into the car. Fortunately for her Leroy was a loud talker and she sighed with relief when she heard his booming voice say "What can I do for you, sister?" on the other end of the line. "Just tell him exactly what I tell you to," she ordered as she put the car in gear and sped out of the parking lot.

Ariel did as she was told, showing her once again that naïve didn't always mean unintelligent. After a minute or two, she might not have known that she was holding a telephone or how it worked but she was able to use it expertly. At her request she informed Leroy of everything that had happened since he'd left Ariel with her. She explained the use of the dollar, the box, and being caught by two strangers in the back of the shop, tied up, and escaping. She also told him of the suspicion that they were headed to the mines. She could hear Leroy snap to attention at the other end of the line. He quickly told her that the dwarves had left the mines for the day but he'd round the dwarves up and they'd meet her there to handle the situation. "Don't do anything before we get there," he practically yelled into the phone. But she didn't agree to the request, simply told Ariel to say they'd see them there and hang up by pressing the red button.

They made it to the mines in record time and her stomach turned when she saw a car already parked there. It was red, missing it's back bumper, and, even worse, it was empty. They were already here. They could already be destroying the box. "Stay here!" she commanded as she reached across to the glove compartment and grabbed the flashlight.

"Leroy said to wait."

"No time!" she explained getting out of the car and making her way over the rough ground to the entrance. Behind her she heard another door slam, her heart rose, hoping to see Leroy and the other dwarves arriving, but all she saw was the red-head following her out of the car.

"I'm not letting you go in there alone," she said determinedly. She would have smiled, she might have taken a moment to realize just how much like her she really was, she should have told the mermaid she needed to stay in the car, but there was simply no time to argue or react. If she was coming she was coming and that was that...it was what she would have done.

The pair made their way into the ominous black tunnels that had only ever spelled out doom and misery for her. She gave Ariel the flashlight, thinking that she might be able to use it for herself since she was walking in heels for the first time, but the girl was a fast learner and held it out for both of them, illuminating the way as they made their way down into the depths. She did her best to follow the path they'd taken earlier, the way they'd gone to get the dwarves axes, hoping that they might lead her to where the men had gone. She spotted the iron cart and moved around it trying to ignore the terrible memories it brought up and thought she could hear whispering up ahead. They weren't that far away!

Instinctively, she reached back, grabbed Ariel and crouched down, hugging the wall, avoiding rocks, beams, and levers, hoping that somehow if she snuck up on the men she could steal the box, or startle them, or grab the gun. "How much farther?" Ariel asked suddenly.

"They're, uh, they're probably just ahead," she muttered behind her. Then, as she rounded the corner her mouth dropped as she found the men up ahead and tried to gauge the situation. Had they done it yet? Was it over? Was there time? Time enough to wait for Leroy? For help?

"Here?" Glasses asked. "You're certain we need to be here?"

"Absolutely," Shorty answered. "Here, use this pick axe."

No, they had no time. She raced ahead her mouth dropping as she watched Shorty hand an axe to Glasses and haul the powerful metal over his shoulder.

"You-you can't do that!" she shouted, revealing herself to the men. Glasses looked at her with stunned disbelief, but Shorty was quick and drew a gun on her. It would be easy to back down, as she had in the shop but she just couldn't let it phase her this time. There was more than just her life that hung in the balance right now. "You destroy that box," she begged, her throat constricting nervously, "and people we really care about  _will_  die."

"Then we have something in common," Glasses remarked, "because if we don't someone we care about will die."

She shook her head, confused at the comment. "What're you talking about?" she asked.

"None of your concern, now stay back!" Shorty commanded desperately. "We don't want to hurt you-"

"But we will!" Glasses corrected. She knew desperation, true desperation, when she saw it. They weren't lying, and Shorty had been telling the truth, he didn't want to hurt her, but just as Rumple's life depended on her ability to retrieve that box, someone else's life depended on their ability to destroy it. Pawns. Rumple had said it himself. They were pawns in Pan's plot. But there had to be a reason they'd been drawn into this game! And if there was a reason, then this was a time to talk, to negotiate! If only Glasses agreed with her...

"You should know when to walk away," he hissed at them. She did know when to walk away and now wasn't one of those moments, but negotiation was hard to do when tension was so high, and when a person held a carefully trained gun on another. A distraction. She needed a distraction. Something that wouldn't hurt, but would allow her to gain the upper hand. Something like…something like…a mine cart! Like the one behind her. She had brief flash of a memory of the man in a red hat pulling a lever that set her quickly on a course for the town line…a lever like the one she'd seen behind her.

"Never!" she shouted at the men, then quickly turned and put all her might into pulling that lever and setting the cart she'd seen around the corner into action. The carts light flared to life. With a squeak it rattled down the tracks. Glasses eyes widened as he observed the coming train. He drew back on the axe, as if to strike, as if he hoped to destroy it before the cart barreled into him. But there wasn't time and the cart crashed into the two men, making them topple one over the other and land with thuds on the ground as the cart rolled on. More importantly, the box was unguarded and the gun flew out of Shorty's hand.

She moved before they had time to regroup, to figure out what had happened or what was happening. As they writhed on the ground she hurdled forward, grabbed the box and hid it behind her back, at least placing her body protectively between it and them. She glanced down at the gun. She could grab it, she could use it on them as they'd used it on her…no, she couldn't do that. She couldn't even threaten them with it. They were desperate, she'd seen it, there was something else going on here, and aiming a gun at them as they'd done to her might get her answers, but not the way that she wanted to get them. Instead of grabbing the gun, she skillfully kicked it away. Just because she wasn't going to use it didn't mean she wanted them to grab it again either. She had the upper hand again, and for now it could remain where it skidded off to, but she mentally made a note of where it had landed, just in case they did try to dive for it, just in case she needed to grab it first.

"Please!" Glasses begged as the pair got to their feet again. "You're making a terrible error. There's too much at stake."

"Destroying magic?"

"That's not it!" Glasses finally admitted almost sadly. "We don't care about magic."

"Then what were you trying to do?!" she asked, hearing angry desperation in her own voice. They'd come far too close to succeeding for her comfort and she wanted to know why…no, she needed to know why they'd done this. Why had they been involved with Pan in the first place if they didn't want to destroy magic as he did?

"Trying to save our sister," he stated clearly.

"You're sister?" Ariel questioned, as she looked over his face, searching for any sense that he was lying to her. But she couldn't find any flaw to the look he was wearing now. He was telling the truth.

"She's been Pan's prisoner for a long time," he explained.

"Over a century," Shorty chimed in. A century? They weren't lying. But if it was over a century, before Storybrooke even existed...how was that possible?

"That's impossible, you'd be-"

"Dead," Glasses finished for her, taking away her one hope of finding a loophole in his story, "we're well aware. Pan has kept us alive to do his bidding and as long as we do she lives."

"And when we're done, he'll free her, and us. But now-"

"Now is your best chance," she informed them. She wasn't sure what was going on, who Pan was, who their sister was, how he'd captured her, or how any of this worked. But it didn't matter, because Rumple had been right. They were pawns, less than hired help because they were being black mailed into doing it. She'd been right, they didn't want to hurt them, all they wanted was their sister back. And this had all just become a lot simpler than they knew. The box wasn't the problem…it was the answer to everything. Destroy the box and they might pacify Pan for a day or so. Destroy Pan and they didn't have to ever worry about him upholding his end of the bargain. "We can defeat Pan," she informed the men, "and your sister can finally be set free."

"You think you're the first person who thought they could beat him?"

"Why?" she questioned, a lick of fear suddenly slithering over her hopeful heart. Was Rumple wrong? Had someone used this box before? Another powerful wizard? Or just two non-magical men, with no idea what they were doing? "Have you tried?"

"Yes," he answered, confirming the latter suspicion, "but we failed. It's how our sister ended up his prisoner in the first place."

"We tried to be heroes," Shorty commented with a hint of shame in his voice, "but it just made things worse."

"Now," Glasses swallowed and she felt her heart break as she noticed the water gathering in his eyes and the wavering of his voice. "Now that we've failed...he'll kill her!" he concluded with agonizing disbelief. If she had any doubt about their story, it had just vanished completely. This was why they'd come for the box. Not Pan. Not magic. Their sister's safety. They all had loved ones in Neverland, and they all knew that their lives hung in the balance. But they didn't know Rumpelstiltskin the way she did! She knew his plans, she knew how he worked, and how he fought, and kept his promises. He wouldn't have told her he was coming home, if he didn't believe that he was. And if he believed that, then there was hope in this little box of horrors. Whatever he had in store for this box, he believed that it would bring him back to her, alive. And if he could get back alive then she knew, without doubt that they all could, including their sister. Rumple just needed to know the girl was there. And her brothers needed to trust that she'd be safe under his protection. She didn't know what he intended to do with the box, but she knew that it was the key to everyone's problems.

"We get this back to Neverland," she explained, hoping to instill the same hope that the mere sight of his image rising up out of that dollar had given her, the same hope she felt mending her broken heart right that very moment, "Pan is gonna have much bigger things to worry about."

"Can you really stop him?" Glasses questioned.

"Yeah," she answered confidently. If she got the box and it was safe in Rumple's hands, if they worked together, no matter how far apart they were, then there was no doubt in her mind: one way or another, this would end. "I believe we can. And, if what you're saying is true, we will save your sister," she assured them.

"Who is she?" Ariel asked eagerly.

The men gave each other questioning glances. But she knew that look, it was the look of resignation. They each believed her, they just wanted to be sure the other did too. They just wanted to be on the same page before they entrusted her with something as precious as a name. "Her name is Wendy," Shorty answered, as the brothers silently communicated their mutual, but still timid, trust in her-them. "Wendy Darling. If you see her, tell her John and Michael are waiting for her."

A flash of red caught her eye as Ariel nodded confidently. "I'll do my best. But first, we have to get this back to Neverland!" she explained still eyeing the suspicious box with caution. In such a delicate moment, she had to fight the urge to burst into a smile and run out of the tunnel in jubilation. They'd done it! They'd gotten the box. And then some! They'd save Henry. Rumple would retrieve Wendy for her. He'd leave Neverland. He'd come home…he'd come back to her.

Now they only needed to get the box where it belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ::sigh:: I just...I can't even. I did my best with this chapter even though I felt like you could drive a bus through the holes in these scenes. Or, well, maybe not holes just...silly things. Like I said, I did my best...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	19. Good-bye is the Beginning of Hello

"Belle!" the scream echoed throughout the tunnels and made her jump in surprise. The dwarves. They'd arrived. Too late, but they'd come all the same. "Belle, where are you?!" Leroy called again, his voice reverberating off the walls. "Belle!"

"We're down here!" she called back, "We're fine! Everything is fine!" She glanced over at Shorty and Glasses, John and Michael were their real names and though they looked innocent and upset at the moment, she wasn't entirely ready to believe it. "We are fine, aren't we?" she questioned.

The brothers looked at each other again before Glasses finally nodded his head. "If you can do what you say, if you can rescue our sister, we won't bother you anymore." There was no reason to, but for some reason she believed him, both of them.

"John?" she questioned, looking at Glasses. He nodded, confirming her guess. That made Shorty Michael then. She trusted them, but what to do with them until Rumple got back...she wasn't sure about that particular puzzle.

"Belle! Belle we're here," she turned to see all of the dwarves running over to them. "Are these them," Leroy asked as he stopped to catch his breath, still managing to glare at the two men. "The strangers?"

"Not anymore. This is John and Michael-"

"And that's my axe!" Walter shouted from behind running forward to grab the axe John had dropped on the ground. He held it securely in his hands, without so much as a droopy eyelid as he stared at the scene around him. "What happened to it?"

"What happened here?"

"What do we do?"

"Belle," she was suddenly aware of Ariel's hand grabbing her arm and her voice whispering harshly in her ear. She let the dwarves go on as she glanced over at the mermaid, worried. "We should go. I should go I don't know how much time I have," she admitted nervously. She'd just gotten here, she was supposed to have twenty-four hours! She shouldn't be this desperate to get back into the water yet! Unless she didn't know what those twenty-four hours included.

"The time the queen gave you, the twenty-four hours, did it start when Regina gave you the bracelet or when you put it on?" she clarified.

"I don't know. I didn't ask."

It wouldn't be bad; if she lost her legs, she'd have someone carry her into the sea in order to deliver the box! But she understood wanting to leave of her own free will, with dignity and without help. If she lost her legs she would be a real life fish out of water and it would only take more time to get her to the ocean, and take time away from Rumple and whatever plan they were making. It was best not to risk it and just get her straight to the water. "Okay," she sighed, "when did Regina give you the bracelet?"

"Well," Ariel shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. "It was night there and I got here this morning, so…"

"So you're running out of time," she concluded, remembering the darkening sky outside of these caves. Whether she was ready for action yet or not, it was time to take it, and make plans. One step at a time, she reminded herself. She only had to think one step, one move, at a time. And, right now, the most important thing was to get that box to Neverland as fast as they could. She had to get Ariel to the sea first, then she could worry about what to do with John and Michael.

"Leroy," she shouted loud enough to conclude the dwarves chatter. As usual they looked to her, ready to receive instructions along with an explanation. The latter would have to wait for now, but instructions she could give. "Can you take John and Michael back to Granny's?"

"Yeah, but what do we do once we get there?"

"Wait for me. Take any weapons they might have, get yourselves dinner, keep the town calm, and wait for me to get back. Ariel, let's go!"

"Go?" Leroy called after them. "Go where?"

"Back to Neverland!" Ariel called over her shoulder as they moved out of the tunnels as fast as they could. The sky was cloudy. She couldn't be positive what time it was, but she knew that if the bracelet only contained enough magic for twenty-four hours, they didn't have a lot of time left. And really, they shouldn't take more time even if they could. The more time the box was with them, in Storybrooke, the greater risk that it could be stolen or destroyed. It was safer back in Neverland...with Rumple.

"Okay," she said as she and Ariel folded themselves into his car, "the shore's not far."

"No! Wait!" Ariel cried. "My things. We left them at Gold's shop. I need my bag to take the box!"

"You can't carry it with you?"

"No, it needs to be in my bag, I'm sorry I can't explain why, that's just how it works."

She nodded and started the car. They had no choice. They had to go back to the shop first. It was okay, it was just a short stop to grab her clothes and bag, and then they could be on their way. She parked the car out front, as if she'd been doing it her whole life and not just a week, then the pair sprinted into the warm shop. Ariel quickly grabbed her bag from off the floor where she'd left it, next to her skirt and the pair of shells she'd been wearing for a bathing suit when she arrived. She grabbed them and glanced up at her. "I won't be long."

Her heart was hammering, her brain firing as she thought over time and plans, and although her body was screaming at her to hurry her back into the car so they could get the box to Rumple as fast as possible she forced her lips to twist into a smile and nod. "Of course," she told her. She needed to calm down. There was time, maybe not a lot of it, but there was time enough for the mermaid to change, to fetch the bag, to carry the box back to Neverland…her mind suddenly stumbled over a curious thought. If she could travel between realms, if she could take a box and a bag with her, was it possible she could take a person? Could she come back for her, take her to Neverland, to Rumple?! Could she be of even more help?!

"Ariel?"

"I'm hurrying!"

"No, not that…" she corrected. "I just…I had a question."

"Ask away," Ariel said cheerfully, as if they hadn't been threatened and had both their dreams crushed in the moments since she'd gotten here.

"Can you take a person with you? Could you bring someone from Neverland or take someone there with you? Between realms?" There was silence from behind the curtain, not so much as a movement of clothes as she talked. "I only ask because-"

"I know," Ariel said pushing the curtain aside, dressed once again as a mermaid would be, right down to the bare feet. "I know why you're asking. I just…" she was smiling, but it wasn't happy. It was sad, guilty almost. She wanted to be able to say yes, but she didn't need the answer to know that she wouldn't be able to. She'd have to wait. For now, she'd just have to settle for the knowledge that he was coming home. "I'm sorry, it just doesn't work that way," she explained. "We don't know why, but for some reason only mermaids can cross realms. It took me ages just to learn how to take my bag with me, there's no telling what might happen if I tried to take you! Besides," she shrugged, "it's a long swim and I doubt you could hold your breath that long."

She nodded. It made sense to her, but that didn't mean she had to like the answer. And it certainly didn't mean she had to show her disappointment. "I understand," she smiled. "Come on, let's go." Putting the disappointing news behind her, the pair of them left the shop, got into the car, and traveled the very short distance to the beach. She quizzed her incessantly the entire way, but Ariel put up with it answering all her questions obediently or confirming pleasantly enough. Yes, she knew where she was going to meet Rumple and Regina. Yes, she'd keep the box safe on the journey and she certainly wouldn't touch it after it went into her bag, for fear of what it might do. Yes, she'd remember to tell them about Wendy Darling. No, she wouldn't forget.

"But what if he won't do it?" she asked suddenly. "What if he won't go after the girl like you think?"

"He will," she answered confidently as they got out of the car and walked over the sand down to the surf. Heels were not her best decision this morning. "If he knows I want him to get her, he'll do it."

"And Regina?"

"Don't worry about her. If you tell him I need him to find Wendy, he'll get her," she assured her as they moved over the sand. "Okay?" she asked as she realized that they really couldn't go much farther than this. "You have everything you need?"

"Almost," she muttered looking down at the box she still held tightly in her hand. It was time for good-bye, and it was time to turn the prize over to the mermaid and trust she'd get it to him. After everything they'd been through today, not to mention the mermaids own private motivation, she had no doubt she could do it. So, with a satisfying sigh she handed it over and watched as Ariel took the gift from her and placed it within the depths of her purple bag. It was done. She'd accomplished her part, the rest was up to Ariel. But she seemed ready for it, her face was serious and maybe a little bit weary of the item that she carried. But beneath that, there was also confidence. Ariel believed she could do it. Rumple believed this would work. Now all she needed was a little belief of her own. She'd had it a moment ago, but now that the time was here, now that it was real, she just felt nervous and rushed again.

"Remember what I told you-"

"Don't worry," Ariel assured her, cutting her off before she could remind her again. "I'll deliver your message to Gold." Right, of course she would. If she couldn't deliver her then the message and the box would have to do. She'd remember. She would get it there. She just had to let her go.

She stepped forward, reached out, and placed a reassuring hand on the girls shoulder. She hoped that it wasn't her imagination, that Ariel knew, just as her look suggested, how serious this was, how important to her it was. "Good luck," she whispered. She nodded and pulled away from her. She stayed on the beach as she watched Ariel wade into the surf, then, once she was deep enough pull the bracelet from her wrist. Her body seemed to fold in on itself, almost as if she'd lost the bones in her legs, probably because she had. She let the water catch her gracefully, looking like someone who'd spent their entire life in the water and knew it better than anything else, before she disappeared under its surface. After a moment she caught a view of a fin rising out of the water and slapping the waves as she propelled herself further into the sea and disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted the conversation about Belle going to Neverland with Ariel because I figured that was something that she was bound to ask, something short and simple that would have been in character and that they didn't show on the show. It's okay, I don't particularly blame them for that because there really was no need for it I guess, it was just a personal opinion that it fit with Belle's character. besides, the actual scene in this chapter is what...3...4 paragraphs? Obviously 4 paragraphs does not a chapter make so I had to do something to expand it. Mostly filler, I know, but they are necessary, at least I hope that's what you think too!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	20. Tying Up Loose Ends

She waited for a moment after she saw the fins of her new friend disappear under the surf. Standing there, looking at the sea gave her the strangest feeling of calm. She thought she'd worry, be concerned, want to stay on that beach forever waiting for some sort of answer...but instead, she felt freer, happier, she was still nervous, but on the whole she felt better than she had when she woke up that morning. She'd done all that he'd asked of her, if he had that box then he could figure out a way to beat Pan. He was coming home. She only needed to be patient.

If she'd survived this long, without the promise of ever seeing him again, then she could easily wait a little longer knowing that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A future. Hope. That was all she needed to set a smile on her face and allow her to turn away from the shore and walk back to the car. She would have loved to have gone home, to bask in the wonderful feelings making her numb limbs feel alive again, but her day wasn't over. Not yet. John and Michael still needed to be taken care of. The dwarves were surly waiting at Granny's for her to disclose everything that had happened. And now that she had some of the strangers Rumple had warned her about, now that she thought she might actually trust them, she couldn't lose the opportunity to be sure that the town was safe.

So she drove calmly into town and pulled up next to the diner. She should have gone in, she should have walked right up those steps and confronted the next problem, but she felt a strange itch at the back of her head. She turned away from the diner and walked down the street, passed Granny's, passed her library, and right back into the shop. It was just as comforting as it had been when she'd ended up in the back room yesterday, only now it bore signs of fresh life. Not necessarily good life, but certainly there was evidence that people had been here. The chairs she and Ariel had been tied to still lay in the middle of the room, the ropes tangled on the floor where they had fallen. The small square of floor that she'd pulled away to reveal the box was still pulled up. The dollar still sat on the table where she'd left it and, as much as it made her stomach turn, the bottle of whiskey and the glasses Gold and Lacey had used were there too. She hadn't been able to touch them the first time she'd been in here, but with the hope that any moment he could be receiving the box and coming home, she couldn't bear the thought of him coming home to any reminders of those terrible days, when she'd been Lacey and Bae had…

She shook her head, the memories forcing her hand. She grabbed the chairs and stacked them back where they'd been. She gathered the rope, coiling it around and around into a neat circle. Nothing would please her more than to get rid of it, but she was certain that when he returned he'd find some use for it. So, instead of tossing it, she set it neatly on one of his shelves. She replaced the wooden square, but left the tea cup where it was. There was no point in taking it away. It wasn't as though there was anything left in the crevice to be found and the cup was safe where it was, there was no one she could think of that would want to take it, even if they were brave enough to break in.

Next she found the clothes that Ariel had been wearing in the corner that she'd tossed them. She picked them up, folded them and held them tight in her arms. She would take them across the street and drop them off in the library to wash them tonight. And Grumpy's jacket, the one that he'd kindly given the mermaid to keep herself warm, she'd give it to him now when she got to the diner. The back room nearly looked like itself again, like the place she'd so often visited before she'd lost her memories at the townline...there was only one thing left. The table and the terrible memories she hadn't been strong enough to confront before stared her down. But those memories, that table, didn't seem half as bad as it had only a day before. Now she was strong enough to deal with it. Now she was ready.

The sand dollar was easy enough to handle. She pocketed it, kept it close as she figured she would until he got home. The message was useless now, of course, but just knowing he'd held it, he'd sent it to her to give her hope that he'd return, was enough to make her feel strong again. She grabbed the two glasses the pair of them had used and threw them away. Whether they were broken or whole didn't particularly matter to her at the moment. She just wanted them gone. Finally, she removed the half-drunk bottle of whiskey, and the clothes, and leaned against the threshold, looking back. Perfect. Just as it was the first day she'd stumbled into it. She'd love to stay in the shop, to just sit there and think of the day he'd come back, but there were things to do. And for the first time since he'd left, she felt like she could actually do it. She had a future to think about now, something to look forward to. He was coming home, soon, and when he did they wouldn't dwell on the past, they'd both have a future to consider. She made sure the shades were pulled and the closed sign was up, just as he would prefer. Then took the bottle and emptied its contents into the street, for the rain to wash away, and tossed the empty glass into a trash, ridding the world of the last evidence of Lacey.

She dropped the clothes off at the library's front desk before heading over to Granny's. The lights were on and she could see people gathered, despite the fact that the sign on the door said "closed". It was just as it would have been if they were meeting during the day, only instead of walking in to somber silence when she walked into the small space she was greeted with cheers and shouts that made her blush and smile. Everyone was there. Granny, Ruby, with the baby of course, the dwarves, Archie, even Marco and August had come down with Mother Superior. They were all there, looking admirably at her, offering congratulations and pats on the back, cheerful smiles. She couldn't help it, she smiled and even felt a blush rise up her cheeks as she handed Leroy back his jacket and she was suddenly bombarded with questions.

"So is it done then?"

"Where is she?"

"Is she gone?"

But it was Archie's voice that rang out loudest of all, though she was certain it was the smallest. "What happened?" he asked simply over the heads around him. His smile was different than the others. It wasn't just happy or hopeful, it was knowing. Had it really only been lunch time when she'd confessed that she feared all hope was lost? That she couldn't do anything to help the people stranded in Neverland?

"Ariel..." she began, taking a seat at the counter, aware that every eye was on her, "is on her way back to Neverland with Pandora's box. According to Rumpelstiltskin, once they have that box he'll be able to defeat Pan, and come home. All of them." Cheers rose up among the crowd again at her words. She couldn't blame them, she wasn't the only one getting someone back, they'd be getting their friends back as well, their sheriff, and their Mayor, even if Regina was the Evil Queen. She let them celebrate, let them be just as ecstatic as she was, just as hopeful as she was.

"Wait!" Leroy called as she began turning to find Ruby. "What about them?" he asked pointing to John and Michael sitting hunched over in the far booth. They were so silent she'd nearly forget that was why they'd all gathered there in the first place.

"We won't be a bother," John told her.

"Not anymore, we promise," Michael chimed in.

"Like we'd be foolish enough to believe that," Leroy answered angrily. "I can take them down to the jail, give them some accommodations that will make sure they don't cause trouble."

"No," she muttered shaking her head as many in the room nodded at Leroy's suggestion. They needed to be looked after, that much was certain, but the thought of putting them in a jail cell after all they'd been through today and in the past with their sister...it wasn't the right answer either.

"I could take 'em." She glanced behind her to find Granny taking the baby from Ruby and scrutinizing the boys in the booth with harsh eyes. "With Ruby out I could use the help around the diner and it's not like I don't have the rooms."

She smiled at the offer. Granny was perfect. A remarkable solution. Not only did she have the room and the time, as she had pointed out, but she was watchful enough to keep a close eye on them. Nothing got passed her. And they certainly wouldn't either. So long as they weren't holding anything back from her now. "John, Michael, I need you to be honest with me. Is there anyone else coming into town? Anything that we should know about? Anything you were planning? We need to know."

"No," Michael answered immediately. "There's nothing else."

"We barely knew what we were supposed to do here! And Pan's shadow was giving orders to us, for us to give to Greg and Tamara!"

"If we knew anything else we'd tell you!"

"Please," John pled, "we just want our sister back. I promise as soon as we have her we'll leave Storybrooke."

"That's not necessary," she explained holding her hands up and stopping their needless appeals. For all she cared, the moment they got their sister back they could move in permanently or live on the other side of the world so long as Rumple came home with them. It might have been a poor decision but she trusted them, she just hoped they wouldn't use it against her or the town. "We're giving you a chance, because everyone deserves another one, but just to be clear, if you try anything while you're here, if you are lying to us or still working for Pan and against us, we will catch you. Until the others come home, you get one opportunity and no more."

"We understand. Thank you," John commented rising politely to his feet and looking her confidently in the eye. She liked that, it made her trust him even more, made her feel certain that he was telling the truth. Hopefully this wouldn't backfire on her.

"It's all settled then," Granny chimed in passing the baby back to Ruby and asking her to take the men over to the Bed and Breakfast to get them settled and to change the baby's diaper while she was at it. She followed orders, offering her an encouraging smile and a request to call her so they could talk sometime, before she left with the boys. The only one who had anything to say about it was Leroy, who sauntered over to her while the people in the diner began to chat happily among themselves. "I'd worry about Granny," he whispered in her ear, "but, even on a good day, Granny scares me." She snorted before turning away and letting him wander back over to the small group of friends. She sat by herself, but didn't feel as she had earlier that morning.

Her world wasn't righted, it wasn't whole again, but the prospect that it would be was enough to at least make her feel like she was part of the world again, like she was spinning right along with it instead of watching like a ghost from some strange point of view. She wasn't foolish, she knew that even when he came back things wouldn't be perfect, Baelfire was still dead after all, the Neverland incident was sure to leave behind scars, but as long as they were together, so long as they had each other, there was no doubt in her mind that they could work through it together.

"How about you?" she glanced up to find Granny staring at her from across the counter, a suspecting smile hiding behind her usual glare. "What can I do for the hero of the day?" she asked after a moment.

"I'm not a hero-"

"Sure ya are," she insisted. "And every hero needs a meal to end their day. Sit right there I'll fix you some dinner."

"Oh Granny...!"

"What now?" the woman stopped in the tracks and looked back at her. "Still not hungry?" She automatically opened her mouth to confirm her guess, to tell her that she was perfectly fine, but instead of hearing words she heard a familiar growl coming from the pit of her stomach. Hunger. She was hungry again! Strangely enough a hamburger sounded like exactly what she wanted. But, as optimistic as she felt, as happy as everyone around her was, she just didn't feel like spending time in the crowded diner.

"Could you make it to go?"

Granny raised her eye brows and looked at her over the glasses that seemed to dangle at the end of her nose at the request. "To go?" she asked. "Where are you off to so quickly?"

"Nowhere," she answered, "I'm just, uh...I just…" She had a point. If she wasn't going to sit here, if she wasn't going to celebrate with the others where was she going to go? Home? To her empty apartment?

No, somehow that just wasn't where she wanted to be at the moment. But if she didn't want to be here and she didn't want to be in the apartment, where did she want to be?

With him. Wherever he was, all she wanted, all she still wanted, was to be with him. It was possibly the one thing that hadn't changed since this morning. But what was she supposed to do about it? What could she do about it? She could go back to the shop, spend the night on the cot. Or…

She could go back to his house, the one place she'd been planning to go back to for weeks, before Neverland, before Lacey, before the town line, even before Hook had stolen Baelfire's shawl. She'd been avoiding it just as she'd been avoiding the shop, thinking that it would be just too painful. But she'd been wrong about the shop, and the feeling she was getting as she thought about it made her feel warm inside. If she wanted to be close to him, if she wanted to feel close to him like she had before all this had happened, then it was really the only place she could go.

"Home," she answered happily. "I'm just going home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was required in order to set things up for when the group gets home from Neverland because when they are in the shop again the whiskey bottle and glasses are missing. I had to clean that up between here and there and this seemed like a good way to do it. Plus, I always love the in between stuff that we don't see and probably will never have mention of. What did they do with Michael and John? I hope that my idea of putting them with Granny makes sense!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	21. A Flicker of Light

She was surprised that she remembered where the house was. It had been so long since she'd last been there, since she'd last pulled up to the driveway and stared up at the massive rose colored house, that she thought she'd need to drive around for a while before her memory returned. But remarkably, she found the house without a single wrong turn. The last time she'd seen it she'd been throwing it glances over her shoulder as she left, upset that he hadn't taken her to town, that he wouldn't tell her why he'd been spending nights in the basement. The memories of that day were painful, the day hadn't gone as she'd planned, but in hindsight, looking back on all the trouble they'd been through, the way they'd grown in the weeks that followed, she couldn't say that she regretted leaving entirely.

Could they have handled the situation better? Maybe. Would they have arrived at the same place they were now if she hadn't left? Possibly. But the events that had followed her leaving had taught her a valuable lesson. Sometimes in order to move forward, it was necessary to take a step back. She hoped that was what this was now. She hoped that everything she'd been through since he left was the step back, but the arrival of Ariel, the safe return of that box, and being here, at his house again, she was hoping this was the step forward. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, but it was right.

She took a deep breath, summoned the little bit of courage that today had left her with, and got out of the car, carrying only her bag and a Styrofoam box containing her hamburger and fries since she hadn't even thought to go back to her apartment to pack a bag first. His keys were in her bag and she found them easily enough as she climbed the stairs and picked the right one out by moonlight, then unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.

The house was black, darker than she'd ever seen it because she'd never gotten to see it without life. Either she'd been there or they'd been there together, she'd never come home to it empty and for her own sake she didn't want to picture him doing it. She reached over and turned on the light that illuminated the hallway. It was just as she remembered it. Well, not entirely true. The furniture the layout, that was all the same. She hadn't really expected that it would have changed, but what she certainly hadn't expected was the clutter. When she'd left, she'd done it because he'd kept her cooped up with nothing to do. She'd turned to cleaning the house, moving the clutter, straightening things out, turning a house into a home just like she'd done when she'd first arrived at the castle. He hadn't liked her doing it, mostly because it reminded him too much of when she'd first arrived at the castle and made him feel as though he was still keeping her as a caretaker that just so happened to share his bed. But it had been a great way to spend hours at a time, the problem came when she had finished and was right back where she'd started, with nothing to do.

However, it seemed that in her absence, in the weeks that she'd been gone and she'd been in the hospital, he had been reverting to his old ways. It wasn't as bad as when she'd first arrived, but in the short amount of time she'd been gone there was already clutter in the hallway, books and items stacked one after another on the tables, the couches, even the stairs, knick knacks laid out on the surfaces big enough for them in states of incompleteness, looking like he'd just set them down a minute ago and was about to come back to them. Besides needing to be picked up, there was also a layer of dust on all of the surfaces and the floors needed a good sweeping...no doubt remnants of her time as Lacey and his time in Neverland when the house had been unoccupied.

She hung her jacket up on one of the hooks by the door and made her way through the back of the house to the kitchen. The sight that greeted her made her stop and shake her head. There were dishes in the sink, waiting to be cleaned, a working list of groceries to get still attached to the refrigerator, and the little green light on his dishwasher was lit ready to let him know that its contents were clean and ready to be restacked. It was just like with the knick knacks, it looked as though he'd just walked away that morning, meaning to come back in the evening as always.

It spoke to the week they'd had. When was the last time he'd been here? Not since Neverland. Not before that either, the two days before he'd been firmly planted in her apartment, babysitting her while she'd been Lacey. Maybe that morning then. Yes. He'd come to see her just after returning from New York. He'd invited her to come back home with him, she'd accepted, and he'd left telling her that he had to make arrangements and he'd be back for her later. She wasn't positive what those arrangements were, but they didn't matter. It wasn't much longer after that Regina had walked in and the rest was history. She simply hadn't been there when he came back. It felt like eons ago. Not days.

She put the terrible week she'd had far from her memory and made herself busy. She found a plate, set her dinner out on it, and ate, really ate something for the first time since he left. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a meal, the last time she'd been hungry enough for a meal! And the little she had eaten in the last few days certainly had no taste, at least not to her. She couldn't finish it all and she wasn't terribly surprised at that, but she ate what she could and between bites she found little things to keep her busy. She emptied the dishwasher and loaded it again, sorted through some of the clutter, the mail, and books, that had gathered on the counter, took a glance into the fridge and began adding to the list and throwing out what had gone bad since he was last there, finally making a mental note that she needed to take the trash out tomorrow to get the smell of waste out of the house.

She'd had a long day, finally eaten a meal, and the only thing, she supposed, that was left was to go to bed. Her heart hammered at the prospect. Bed. She'd been avoiding that. The nightmares since he'd gone were simply too much. Would that be different now too? Was it safe to go to sleep? There was only one way to find out. She shut off the lights in the kitchen, like normal, made sure to lock the doors, check the windows, play with the thermostat, all the while trying to get her pulse to stop racing. When she couldn't come up with anything else to do, she finally climbed the stairs that would take her to their bedroom.

But she never made it. She was at the top of the stairs, the door right in front of her when she found herself stopping at a strange sight. The room at the end of the hall, the door was shut…it never had been before. Sure, she hadn't lived here that long, but she'd lived with him long enough to know that he like to keep the doors open and that there was really no reason to shut the doors up here. There was nothing but junk in the upper rooms, she knew that from experience. She had cleaned, but putting everything in order hadn't been possible because of how much work "Mr. Gold" appeared to bring home with him. The best she'd been able to do was straighten up the junk he'd had. But there was nothing valuable in the rooms. So why would he have shut this room off from the others? Curiously she turned the handle and opened the door peering in. Her jaw dropped.

It was a room. Not like it had been before, used for storage, but an actual bedroom. A large clean brand new bed sat against the far wall, complete with comfortable soft looking sheets. Beside it sat a brand new nightstand, lamp, and clock. On the far side was a chest of drawers, curiosity and shock goading her on, she opened each of the draws. They were all filled with clothes. Women's clothes. The kind that she liked. Quickly she moved over to the closet and pulled back the doors, this time not surprised to see that it too was filled with clothing. Confused she turned around, her back resting against the doors, but instead of catching her breath she stumbled upon another surprise.

By the window was a beautiful, comfortable, blue arm chair and footstool. And sitting by it a small circular table was perched by its side. On the other side of the window sat a bookshelf that was filled with her favorite books, but there was one book sitting on the side table that caught her eye. Slowly she walked over to it and her eyes pricked with tears as she picked it up and read the title.  _The Mysterious Island_ by Jules Vern. The book Ruby had given her to read in the hospital.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. There was a lot she regretted about Lacey, but as she looked around the room she'd never gotten the opportunity to use, it was the unknown that she regretted the most. The arrangements. The ones she hadn't known about, the ones she thought she'd never learn about-this was it. He'd prepared a room for her. A sheltered place for her to recuperate, to learn who she was, who he was. A place they could fall in love all over again. That's what would have happened, she knew it. It wouldn't have been long she had already been falling in love when he'd come to the hospital that day, it would only have been a matter of time before she'd have kissed him, true loves kiss would have brought her memories back, and they would have shared this house again without needing separate rooms. He'd gotten everything perfect, just the way she would have liked it. Now, the only thing she wanted, was for him to come home, to see her again as she'd daringly predicted.

Without a word, before the tears in her eyes could fall, she turned off the light and shut the door to her room again, just as he'd left it. There was always hope, she'd forgotten in his absence but now that she knew he was alive that he believed he was coming home she felt it working its way into her head a little more each minute. He was going to come back, he was going to walk into his shop again, he was going to come back to her, hand in hand they would walk these halls together and share this house.

It might not be perfect, or joyful, they'd have to deal with everything that had taken place in this world and in Neverland...with Baelfire, but they could do it, just like they'd done it before. She felt as though her eyes had finally opened, that with the events of today she'd finally gotten enough of herself back that she could see clearly again. She'd always been better at seeing the positive over the negative, and there was no reason to change just because he was gone. Sad as it was, separation was the story of their life! He'd sent her away, but she'd come back to him. The Queen had held her prisoner for more than twenty-eight years, but they'd been reunited. She'd left again and that time it had been him that came to her. When she'd lost herself and become another person, he'd given her the potion to return her to herself again. Yes, there was hope again. They'd been separated before but one way or another they always made it back to one another. There was no reason to think that this was any different. They would be together again. Maybe even sooner than she thought!

Despite her smile, despite the fact that she knew it was light, the door to their bedroom felt like it weighed a million pounds. It was just as she remembered it: cleaner than the rest of the house, no personal items, and a bed for two made nice and neat. She'd never slept in that bed alone. She'd never had to, not like he did. And to be honest she wasn't even sure that she knew how to. But she'd never know if she didn't try. With a deep sigh she put one foot in front of the other, located a night gown she still had around, making a mental note to collect clothes from the other room and her apartment if she was going to make this permanent.

She pulled back the sheets on her side, but before sliding between their folds her eyes found the closet giving her an idea. It wouldn't be the same, she knew, but it would be something at least. It would be comforting. So she ventured into the closet and pressed her nose to coat after coat until she found one that finally smelled heavily of him. She removed it from its hanger, wrapped it around one of his pillows, and stuffed it between the sheets on his side, cuddling the poor replacement to her chest before she closed her eyes and hoped that the nightmares would be drowned out tonight by the precious flicker of hope she was determined to keep burning in her chest.

She'd been through more than most people ever had and through it all she had come out on top. She'd been threatened by great evils, by disbelief, and from her own disheartened emotions, but she had gotten through it, one after the other, better on the other side. So she had to keep faith, to continue to keep her hope alive. One day they would be back. One day it would be alright again. One day she'd get her version of happy ever after, and it would be great because it wouldn't just be hers it would be theirs! And they would face that ending like they faced every other threat they'd ever confronted…with hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the surface I know this chapter seems like filler...and it probably is. But I just think that there is so much in this chapter that is important for the future. Belle's moving home, she's determined to make things better when he returns home, and she's really got hope again where there was no hope before! I think this is an extremely important chapter for those reasons and I hope that you will too.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	22. Jubilant Words

She woke up the next morning in a panic, her heart pounding, her breathing labored, and her head still filled with those terrible images she'd hoped would stay away after the events of yesterday. She was on the floor next to a chair, in the small study that he had in the back of the house. There were books stacked in neat columns all around her, sorted by genre. She remembered...she'd done that. After she'd gone to bed it had only been a few hours later that she'd awoken from the terrible nightmares, only this time they were worse. Her mind now filled in the blank spaces where information had been missing. Instead of a jungle she now pictured a beach, which she could be certain he'd visited after Ariel's arrival. Instead of blood there was a lone arrow protruding out of his back, which didn't move to breathe. And now, clutched in his lifeless hand, that small little box sat…useless.

She couldn't help it, she couldn't stand it! He was alive. She knew he was. Ariel confirmed it only yesterday and she still felt that if something did happen to him she would feel it! But that didn't stop the images in her head. She had to move, to keep going, to not let herself fall asleep and risk the possibility that she'd see more. Immediately she'd thrown the blankets off of her and set to work doing the first thing that popped into her head: the laundry. She stripped the bed, found the clothes that he'd discarded, probably weeks ago, then pulled up towels and every other piece of cloth she could find and threw it all into the washing machine. The task begun, she'd gone on to find others, minute after minute, hour after hour.

She'd moved the clothes she'd found in the room he'd prepared for her back into his room and reorganized the closet so that everything fit nicely together, making a note that if she was living here she would need to find a time to stop by the apartment and get some of her things before returning the next night. Then she'd moved on to the first floor. She swept, dusted, stacked, organized, and put away every out of place item that crossed her gaze, determined to undo the mess he had seemed to create in her absence. By the time he came home, she concluded, it wasn't going to be a mess. It was going to be their home again. The one she'd created months ago! The one that could only be home when both of them lived here together.

As light began to touch the sky she'd folded the laundry, remade the bed, and knowing it was still too early to go anywhere found herself in the small closet of a study, pulling book after book off the shelf so she could properly order and stack each one. Which must have been where she'd leaned her head back against the chairs cushion and fallen asleep until…noon! She scrambled up. Today was not the day to be late, especially after everything that had happened yesterday. She had to check in at Granny's, she had to be somewhere people could find her, where he could find her if today was the day! And if it wasn't...she had to be somewhere that the nightmares couldn't reach her, somewhere she wouldn't fall asleep.

She showered and dressed faster than she ever had, taking only a few extra minutes to be sure the growing circles under her eyes weren't visible. The drive into town, thankfully, was unhindered and she was pleased to see only Archie and Granny chatting cheerfully at the counter when she arrived.

"Where's the fire?" Granny asked as she hurried inside and took the seat next to Archie, breathless.

"Rough night," she explained, her stomach suddenly growling at the smell of food. The sound was a relief really. It proved her appetites return was not a one time thing. Now if only she could sleep through the night again. "Were there any problems?"

"Nope, so far so good," Granny answered writing something down and taking it to the back. She knew that move. The woman had just ordered her something to eat. Today it was perfectly fine with her. Some food might do her some good and help her stay awake.

"She kept them in separate rooms last night," Archie muttered as she waited. "When I came in she had one of them running the dishwasher and the other cleaning out the oven."

"When you came in...?"

"Breakfast. I decided to stick around, make sure she's not enjoying playing the warden too much." She smiled at his serious implication as he looked desperately at the wall Granny had disappeared behind. It was almost as though he hoped he'd be able to see right through it. Whether he was protecting John and Michael from her or Granny from the possibility of the unknown she couldn't be sure, but either way she liked it, and appreciated it just the same.

"Thank you, Archie," she smiled as Granny brought her a white paper bag, filled with what she was sure was yet another hamburger. "Both of you," she went on, "for everything. I don't know how I would have survived these last few days if it wasn't for-"

"You'd have managed," Archie interrupted. "You're stronger than you think." Granny offered a small nod of agreement as she took the bag from her. She didn't argue, it would be useless to. Instead, she let them know if anyone needed her she'd be at the library. As Granny turned to head back to the kitchen, on a second thought she reached out, grabbed Archie's arm, and gave it a gentle squeeze, knowing that he would understand perfectly that she was thanking him for the encouragement he'd provided for the last few days before she slipped out without another word.

She ate her lunch at the front desk, hamburger and fries, her usual, and made a small shopping list as she did so that she wouldn't have to have this same meal morning, noon, and night. After she was done, she looked around the sparkling library and concluded that there was really nothing that needed done here immediately. Instead, she lay a sign out on the desk letting anyone stopping by know that she was in her apartment and to knock if they needed her, then grabbed a few spare cardboard boxes and set to work upstairs.

It would have been silly to pack up the entirely. She hadn't brought much to begin with and she didn't plan on taking any more than she needed! The house was already stocked, whoever moved in next could have what she left behind. The bathroom needed the most work, as most of her personal items were there, the sewing machine and all its contents, awkward as it was, fit nicely into one of the boxes, and she sorted through the clothes and shoes that she had, deciding what she wanted to take with her right away and what she wanted to leave behind and come back for later. As she finished each box she took it down to the car, packed it away in the trunk and returned for more. It was a happy occasion. So what if he wasn't home yet, he would be soon, and then they'd both be glad that she'd taken the time to do it before he arrived instead of stealing away one of their precious moments for such a task.

The day was practically spent, the only thing she wanted to do before leaving for the day was go through her refrigerator and pull out the items that would expire to take home with her. But she'd barely opened the door when she heard a knock on her door that made her jump, her automatic response still one of fear and preparation for what lay ahead. It might take a while to leave that reaction behind.

"Sister?!" she heard Leroy's voice call from the other side. "You in there?!"

"Coming!" she called back dashing to the door and pulling it back.

Leroy stared at her, looking unimpressed and put out, as always. "We have to stop meeting like this," he said. Just then her attention was suddenly drawn to a person coming up the stairs behind him. Red hair. Wet clothes. Bare feet. Bright excited smile.

"Hi!" Ariel exclaimed with a cheerful wave before drawing Leroy's coat tighter over her shoulders.

"Ariel!" she gasped. "You're-you're back! Already!" She wasn't sure what she expected, but the mermaids return less than twenty-four hours later was faster than even she'd hoped for! "Is everything okay? Did you get the box to Rumple?"

She nodded happily. "No problems. And look!" she held out her arm to show her the bracelet on her wrist. "I got my legs!" No problems. Rumple had the box. Ariel got her legs. There was more than hope now! Now it was only a matter of time until she saw him again, she could feel it! It was wonderful joyful news! And now that they had unending time ahead of them, now that Ariel didn't have anything to take back, she could finally hear what was going on in Neverland!

"Yeah," Leroy muttered to himself, "that's great and all, but I've gotta get back to the other dwarves."

"Thank you Leroy!" she said happily reaching out for the girl and pulling her into the apartment. Ariel pulled his jacket off and handed it back to him. He glanced at her before he took it again, kindly making sure that she wouldn't need it, so only smiled at him. "I've got it from here," she assured him. "Tell me everything!" she said as she closed the door, trusting Leroy to show himself out. "You got the box to Rumple! Did you tell him about Wendy?"

Ariel nodded. "He's going after her. Regina was a bit skeptical at first but he said he'd do his best to bring her home with them." Home. He was coming home. He was bringing Wendy and Henry and he was going to come home!

"When?"

"He didn't say. But he did have a message for you," her heart fluttered in her chest but couldn't decide if it was a fearful flutter, one dying to ask "what now?", or happy just because he'd said something that he wanted her to hear.

"What is it?" she asked timidly. "Did he need something? Is he alright?"

"He seemed fine to me," Ariel answered. Fine. To someone who didn't know him that well, fine was as best as she could expect. "He wanted me to tell you that you were right. He will see you again." She let out a deep breath that she suspected she'd been holding ever since that day at the town line. He was planning on coming home and seeing her again. If he said it, then it was as good as a promise; a deal he'd never go back on. She felt tears gather in her eyes and a lump rise in her throat. The nightmare, the one she lived even when she was awake, would end. "And he also wanted me to tell you that he loves you."

Any relief that she had was suddenly clouded with an onslaught of other emotions. "He...he told you that?" He loved her? He loved her! She knew that, it was the one thing that kept her going even on the darkest days. But saying it, out loud when she wasn't there, or when there were people around who might hear him! Deliberately telling someone else?! That was cause for confusion. It wasn't like him at all. Ariel nodded eagerly, then furrowed her brow as a tear managed to free itself and slide down her cheek.

"What is it?" Ariel asked as she swiped it quickly away, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered shaking her head and smiling happily again. "It's just not like him to say that kind of thing."

"That he loves you?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, he...he tells me all the time. It's just...not like him to tell others that he loves me. Especially a mermaid he just met," she explained. But when she lifted her gaze to look at the mermaid, her face was just as confused as it had been before. That was okay, no one else seemed to understand their relationship, just like no one else understood him the way that she did. "He thinks he's protecting me, by keeping our relationship quiet. If he told you that he loves me it means you have his trust, that's something not easily gained. It's a good thing. A very, very good thing!" If it was good enough for him, then it was good enough for her.

"Please," she went on, swallowing her excitement down, "sit! Tell me everything! Everything you know about what's happening in Neverland. I have to know!"

She was a wealth of information. The pair made themselves comfortable on opposite ends of the couch, and Ariel began to weave a tale as she hung on every word. The ship had touched down in the waters of Neverland one night, causing a stir immediately among the mermaids. They were familiar with Hook and his ship, but not in a friendly way. Not necessarily in a bad way either, she explained, but mermaids were rarely swayed one way or another when it concerned humans. They swam off immediately to investigate, but Ariel had stayed behind.

She didn't explain why, but she said that she'd been something of an outcast among her kind for years. They didn't exactly include her in the events that followed but she'd managed to pick up the pieces here and there by listening in on conversations and following after lost boys that came too close to the shore of the lagoon she called home. Ariel didn't know names, but her own knowledge of the group that had gone helped her to identify who was where. The group had made shore shortly after three strangers had magically been transported there. They had to be Henry, Greg, and Tamara. The story was that Pan had captured the boy, Henry, shortly after they'd arrived. Greg and Tamara...their fate was unknown, but from Ariel's story she could only assume that their missing from the rest of the story was not a good sign.

The crew had gone into the forest after him and what exactly they'd been doing on the island was unclear from the sea. What was clear was that they had tried and tried and tried to go after Peter Pan and defeat him. To take Henry back. To get off the island. They'd succeeded in not losing their lives, but they hadn't been successful in accomplishing their goals.

"They didn't really seem to get anywhere! At least not until Baelfire showed up and then he-"

"Wait!" her stomach lurched as she repeated the sentence in her head over again. Had she really said what she thought she'd said?! No! It couldn't have been possible! She had to have heard her wrong, or misunderstood. It had to be a mistake! "Did you just say Baelfire?"

"Yes, that's right."

She felt as though her face had gone white. She hadn't heard wrong. A misunderstanding then? But how many Baelfire's could there be in the world?! Much less on Neverland?!

"Baelfire? You're sure?"

"Yes. The son of Rumpelstiltskin. Everyone knows Baelfire. He lived on the island, alone. He was the only lost boy that never really seemed lost. Even asked me if I could take someone across realms once when he was a boy trying to get away from Pan. I didn't have my voice to explain why I couldn't..." Ariel went on but her voice faded in her mind. There was no mistaking! She was talking about Baelfire. His Baelfire! And that could only mean one thing.

"Baelfire is...he's alive!" she gasped, interrupting Ariel's story.

"Yes," Ariel responded for the third time. Alive! Not dead, alive! How was that possible?! How had he gotten to Neverland in the first place?! She hadn't thought to investigate his death any further after Rumple had left. It wasn't that she didn't want to, she honestly just hadn't thought about doing it until now! Hadn't thought it was strange there was no body or funeral. Now it all made sense! No wonder there wasn't a body, apparently dead wasn't dead! And somehow he'd managed to make his way to Neverland, to join…

The hopefulness that she'd heard in his voice, the message he'd sent her, the way he suddenly believed in coming home, and was happily telling strangers how he felt about her! It all made sense if only…

"Does he know this?" she asked eagerly. "Does Rumple know Bae is alive? That he's in Neverland?!"

"It would be hard not to, seeing as the two of them were working together to get squid ink. Not exactly sure why…" Ariel launched into some grand telling of the story but she wasn't paying attention. She was feeling…indescribable. Happy. Ecstatic. Remarkable. Hopeful. What was more than all those things combined?! She didn't know the word for it, but she knew that wherever he was he was certainly feeling it too. Baelfire had been everything to him. Without his son there had been no hope left in his life. He'd thought he had no reason to go on with his life if he couldn't have his son. She understood that. She might not have agreed with it, wishing he'd seen that kind of hope in their love that would give him reason to live, but how was he supposed to ever live with himself knowing that it was his choices that had killed his only child. It had been too much guilt for one man to handle.

But if Baelfire was alive…that certainly explained exactly why he had a sudden determination to bring everyone home, including himself. If Baelfire was alive then it wasn't just hope that was growing in her chest. It was a future. A reality. An assurance. He'd fight for his son. For his grandson. And when he came home maybe the events of this terrible week wouldn't be as hard to recover from as she assumed. He was coming home. He loved her. Baelfire was alive! It was the best news she'd ever received! What had started out as an abnormal day, just kept getting better and better.

"Belle!" she looked up to see Ariel, just now realizing that she'd been lost in her own thoughts and not paying attention.

"I'm sorry, um...what was it you needed?"

"Help," Ariel responded quickly. "I've told you everything I know, delivered the box, and messages to and from your Mr. Gold. Now you have to do something for me."

Something for Ariel? After all she'd done for her? What wouldn't she do to show her gratitude?! "Anything!" she promised.

Ariel gave a hopeful sigh then sat forward with anticipation, showing her that whatever she was going to ask was of utmost importance to the mermaid. "Help me find Eric."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know about you, but when Neal stepped off the ship Belle didn't exactly say "Whoa Neal is alive?!". I can only assume then that it was because Ariel told her. And really, why wouldn't she? They were working together to find Eric, I assume that Ariel would be kind enough to update her on what she knows is happening in Neverland as they work. Speaking of their work, I have to get through this "day" in Storybrooke before the crew comes home "tomorrow". I hope that you'll enjoy the small finding Prince Eric arc. I know I do!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	23. Settling In

Finding someone in Storybrooke wasn't as easy as it seemed. To make matters worse, Ariel didn't have much to go on. A description of a man who was "tall, handsome, with dark hair, and beautiful eyes" was a dime a dozen in this place. He'd been a prince, Ariel had told her that the day before in his shop, but besides that the only other clue they had to go on was the button with an anchor that Eric had worn on his jacket, traditional for a prince that lived in a Kingdom by the sea with a strong navy. And then there was a name that Rumple had given Ariel before she'd been freed of her service and swam back to Storybrooke: Christian Poisson. Even with her newfound knowledge of cursed identities, it didn't sound familiar. Prince Eric, Christian Poisson...he could have been anyone!

But that was no reason to give up. No reason not to try. After everything Ariel had done for her, and for Rumple, she wouldn't rest until she found this man. Ariel was going to be key in reuniting her with her true love, the least she could do was help the mermaid find hers and give her the second chance they needed to work it out.

"Let me ask around," she reassured her as the sun set. "Just because I don't know his name doesn't mean one of my friends doesn't. Give me the night and we'll work on it first thing in the morning."

Ariel nodded her head. She could see that she was excited about the prospect, of what news the morning would bring, but at the same time trying to hold back her enthusiasm. If she didn't find him, she didn't want to be disappointed when morning came. "Okay!" she said, rising suddenly. "I'll meet you here, in the morning and we'll start the search!" Without another word she watched as the girl moved around the couch, opened the door, and left for…where? She'd only just arrived in Storybrooke, where was she planning on going?

Realizing the mistake she'd made she flew off the couch, opened her door, and caught her on her way down the stairs. "Wait!" she called following after her. "Where are you going?"

"The ocean," she answered, looking at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. To a mermaid maybe it was, but to a mermaid who'd finally been given an opportunity to be human, turning herself back into a mermaid right away seemed like it defeat the purpose of all her hard work.

"You're going to spend the night in the ocean, after you finally get your legs?"

"I've got nowhere else to go," she explained sensibly. "I'll be fine, I'll find a nice little bed of sand and meet you here in the morning."

Belle closed her eyes and gave a small shake of her head. She had legs now, she should get the opportunity to use them. But she was being smart. Her first night in town, she had nowhere to go, and certainly no way of knowing there was an inn down the street with clean beds and rooms...which also happened to be holding two men captive until they could gain the trust of their "warden" as Archie had said. Perhaps staying at Granny's wasn't the best idea she'd ever had. She could take her home with her, back to Rumple's house. He wouldn't be thrilled to know they had a house guest when he arrived, frankly she imagined she wouldn't be either, but there were no other options she could offer. It was either his house or the sea or...her eyes landed on the door to the apartment she'd left open, the one she was in the process of vacating, if only partially. She smiled as an idea sparked.

"You can stay here-"

"Here?!"

"-for as long as you like, or until you make other arrangements," she informed her. She honestly didn't know how long that would be. It wasn't as if she had any other family here, and she couldn't be a hundred percent certain what kind of relationship she had with the mysterious Prince Eric. Would she need the apartment for a few months while they got to know each other again? Or would they be as she and Rumpelstiltskin had been and pick up right where they left off in some way, ready to live together in the same house again?

"But.." Ariel looked over her shoulder at the door, confused, "don't you live here?" The thought of their bed and house put every panic she had about an extended stay at ease. Whether Ariel stayed a day or a year, it didn't matter. She'd found her home, it was wherever he was. And this time, come what may, she was staying for good.

"Not anymore," she explained turning the girl and guiding her up the steps. "This place is actually perfect for someone just starting out," she prattled on as they went. "It's small, but comfortable and if you ever need anything I'm just downstairs during the day. I'll have to make you a set of keys but for now you'll be fine here on your own. You can take a shower if you want. I can change the sheets and find you something to wear. I'm sure something of mine will fit you, and if it doesn't just let me know and I can fix it. What's wrong?" she questioned realizing that Ariel was looking around the place dazed and confused. She looked like she was just as lost in the tiny one bedroom apartment as she'd been that first day in the castle.

"Um…" she looked around for a moment then took a timid glance back at her. "Keys? Shower? Sheets? I don't know what those things are."

She'd gotten ahead of herself, been too excited for her to consider what a big undertaking it was to someone who had never spent the night out of the ocean. At least when she'd first arrived in Storybrooke, emerged from the hospital, and gotten her memories back she had some basic knowledge. She'd used a shower before, and a bathroom, and she'd been human so she knew what keys and sheets and beds were. And for the bits she didn't have, the little bit that she had to figure out, he'd been right by her side, helping, correcting, and encouraging. With Ariel, it was like starting at the beginning.

She had to explain about how to turn the shower on and off, and how to adjust the temperature, then explain the basics like shampoo and conditioner and what they were used for. Fortunately Ariel explained that she'd gotten ready for a party once, it was the first time she'd really had a conversation with Eric, but the lasting result was that she knew what a hair brush was and how to wear a dress. As the mermaid showered she made herself busy, once again changing the sheets, starting the wash, and, thinking last minute that it wasn't the best idea in the world to let her try cooking, started some soup she'd had sitting around on the burner.

When there was time left she began thinking once more about the task at hand. Christian Poisson. Prince Eric. She thought back in her mind. Yes, there was a memory of a Prince Eric from the days when she was a princess. Not surprising, all the royals seemed to know about each other, and have some awareness of who lived where, ruled what, and was in line for which throne. But Prince Eric hadn't been close enough that she'd ever met him. A shame, she imagined that he was somewhat close to her age and if he hadn't been in line for a throne of his own might have been the one she'd been betrothed to, instead of Gaston.

The thought of her would be fate sent shivers down her back…still! But it wasn't helping her think about where to look for Christian Poisson, in all honesty it only made her want to wrap her arms around Rumpelstiltskin and remind herself that her life was far behind her and he'd never let her go back to it. No, she had to focus on Christian. But where was she supposed to start?

She sighed and dug around in her purse for her cell phone. It wasn't much, but she may as well start exactly where she'd told Ariel she would. With the water still running, and the soup still warming, she found Ruby's number and waited until she picked up. "Hey!" she answered happily, "sorry I can't meet you tonight Sean is working overtime at the cannery."

"No, that's fine, I don't have a lot of time myself," she informed Ruby and reminded herself. There was nothing she would have rather done than meet Ruby for dinner and tell her the good news, but they were both busy. There would be time for that later. "I, uh, I actually have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Have you ever heard of a man named Christian Poisson?"

Ruby was quiet for a moment as she thought. "No, can't say I have. At least the name doesn't ring a bell. What's he look like?"

She sighed, wasn't that what she'd like to know as well? "Tall, handsome, dark hair, and beautiful eyes."

"That doesn't exactly help," she said with a small laugh.

"I-I know. It's not a lot to go on. But I need to find him."

"Well, who was he before. Maybe I met him at home or heard of him."

"His name was Eric. He was a prince-"

"Oh," Ruby interrupted with a small groan, "that would be your problem."

She furrowed her brow and shook her head before she remembered that Ruby couldn't see her look of confusion at the words. "I-I'm sorry. What problem?"

"He's royalty. If he's like the rest of them he's probably trying pretty hard to keep a low profile," Ruby explained as if it answered everything. It didn't. She still had no idea why being royalty was a problem. Wouldn't that make him easier to find?

"I don't understand-"

"The royals have been keeping to themselves ever since the curse broke. You, David, Mary Margaret, you're pretty much the only one's living under Regina's nose and let's face it that's only because she already knows about you and you have no choice." She shook her head, still confused as ever. Of course she was living under Regina's nose, and Ruby was right she had no choice, but why would that matter? Even if Regina didn't know about her why shouldn't she have come forward then? Not that she would have, of course. The days she'd considered herself a princess were long over, but still, why would it matter?!

"The royals are afraid Belle," she went on as if she'd read her mind, or maybe just her silence. "I mean, why do you think Sean is still working at the cannery? Or your father is still arranging flowers? They ran countries, massive empires, before all this; they have every right to want to run the town but instead they've chosen to stick to their lives, lay low, and stay clear of Regina?!"

"But...why?!" she asked flabbergasted. Honestly? No, she'd never thought of it. But now that Ruby had brought it up, she was curious why this was happening. For goodness sake Ruby was implying that Sean and Ashley were royals and she'd never even heard that before now.

"She cast a curse that sent all of us here because of Snow White. The others might not know the entire story, they might not know why, but they know that wanting power from Regina, making themselves out to be a threat, would be a terrible mistake." She hadn't quite thought of it that way before. She really hadn't feared Regina would come after her in the dark of the night if only because she knew Rumple wouldn't have stood for it. But the admission certainly made sense to her. Was it brave? No, not exactly. But was it smart? Considering what had happened and what they knew, yes it probably was. And at the end of the day, it probably justified their actions. Unfortunately for her, it was a large obstacle in their search for the missing prince.

"So how am I supposed to find someone who doesn't want to be found?" she asked aloud, more to herself than Ruby.

"Well, if you want to look, now would be the time to do it. Everyone knows the Queen is gone you might be able to get him to come out of hiding if you can get his attention."

"So the real question is how do I get the attention of someone I don't even know?" There was silence on the other end of the phone as she imagined the pair of them thinking.

"Hey," Ruby suddenly burst out, "you know it might be a long shot but the board is still around."

"The board?"

"Yeah, when the curse broke people used it to post pictures and descriptions of people they were looking for. I mean, I don't know how much 'tall, handsome, dark hair, and beautiful eyes' will get you, but if you could get a different description of him or draw a picture, you might get something at least." Of course! How had she forgotten? She'd drawn pictures of her father and Gaston for that same board! She still had the supplies at home...but she had no idea what he looked like. The only image of him, she imagined, was trapped deep inside Ariel's head, probably clear as day! But would she know how to draw? Or could she draw well enough to make a decent image. With a life time under water, she doubted it. They could always just post a description. She could quiz Ariel, take down every detail, do her best to...

Draw him for her.

Suddenly an idea popped into her head. One that wasn't hers, that didn't originate from her personality, but Lacey's.

Criminal Sketch Artists. People who drew a person they'd never met from another's memories. She could draw. She'd had to learn when she was a princess and it had helped her with her own drawings. But could she draw Prince Eric from Ariel's memories? She had no idea where to begin in doing something like that! But she did have an entire library of books at her disposal. Certainly at least one of them would tell her how to do something like that. "Ruby! I think you just solved my problem!"

"Glad I could help!" the pair chatted for a moment more. She told her that Mary Margaret would be home someday soon, but that she didn't have the time to explain how or why as she heard the water turn off. Ruby told her that it was alright because the baby just woke up and she didn't have the time to listen. But she promised that she would ask Ashley and Sean if they knew of a Christian Poisson, or had seen anyone looking like Prince Eric and let her know if they had.

They said good-bye just as Ariel came out of the bedroom, wearing the dress she had picked out for her. It seemed to fit nice enough but she kept pulling it over herself awkwardly. They really should buy Ariel some of her own clothes, but, if it was her, she knew she probably wouldn't want to do anything until she'd found Eric. "Hey," she muttered. "I didn't know what you liked to eat so I made some soup."

"That's okay, I don't even know what I like," she laughed with a shrug of her shoulders. She stayed safely off to the side as she scooped out a couple of bowls and set the pot into the sink to rinse it out. Suddenly, in her peripheral vision she saw Ariel, still staring at the burner reach forward to touch it.

"Careful!" she yelled nervously, managing to pull her hand away just in time, "that's hot. You'll burn yourself."

Ariel's eyes went wide as she glanced between her and the coil. "Right. Hot. Don't touch. Got it!" Clearly they needed to make some ground rules before she left Ariel here alone for the night.

"We'll talk about the stove and kitchen tomorrow, but I think for now it's just safest if you just don't touch anything in here until then." It was a big restriction, she knew. But a necessary one. How many ways could she get into trouble in the kitchen? Too many to count.

She shook her head and took her seat as she set the soup in front of her. "This is all so strange and magical. But in a good way!" she concluded with a happy smile.

"You've, uh, you can travel realms but you've never been here?" she asked as she made sure to blow on her steaming spoonful in order to set the example before devouring it. Ariel, intelligent as ever, picked up on the cue did the same.

She shook her head, "I've gone realm to realm and spent time in other places that have magic but I've lived in Neverland ever since I first hatched. You know this is really good!"

Her jaw had dropped. She couldn't help it, she was certain that she'd just heard what she'd heard but it was something that she couldn't let get away. "Hatched?" she questioned. Was that where mermaids came from? Not from sea foam, or goddesses, or magic? They hatched?! "Like from an egg?"

"Sure," she confirmed between slurps, "isn't that how it always happens?"

"Ah..." she blushed and looked quickly back into her soup trying to hide her awkward smirk. She knew she'd didn't know about human matters, she was prepared to teach her what she needed to know in order to survive in the real world. What she wasn't prepared for was to have a discussion about what Lacey would have called "the birds and the bees". Especially not tonight. Later. Maybe. With any luck much later. And maybe Granny or Ruby would be better for a conversation like that. Just because she knew the answer to "where do babies come from" didn't mean she was ready to share her experience with it. It was a private matter that would stay private. Besides, she couldn't be much help, she was certain she'd only stutter and blush the entire time. "No. Not-not exactly," she settled on, before quickly finishing her soup in a couple of slurps.

They finished their dinner in comfortable silence, with Ariel occasionally asking a question about an item, but never returning to the "where do babies come from" question and at the end of the night she handed Ariel her cell phone and showed her how to call Gold's house in case something went wrong and she needed to talk to her. Dinner consumed, dishes done, mermaid settled in, she left the apartment for home, stopping only once in the library to grab a few books to study for the adventure tomorrow brought her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it's not entirely obvious I had a bit too much fun writing this chapter. Really. First the bit with trying to find Eric and giving him the name Christian Poisson. I couldn't help it. Hans Christian Anderson wrote the Little Mermaid and of course Poisson...I couldn't resist. Plus, it helped that the actor looked like Christian to me. If I have to change the name in the future because we find it out, then I'll do it of course, but for now it is what it is. Of course the birds and the bees with Ariel was also just a little too much fun on my part. I could just see Belle taking Ariel to Granny for the Birds and the Bees talk and had to work that into everyone's mind whether I have time for it in the story or not. And really I hope you like where I'm going to go with the whole sketch artist thing. This is one of my favorite sub-arcs! Maybe it will be yours too!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	24. The Truth About Lies

She read all night. As soon as she'd gotten home, she unloaded the boxes she'd placed in the car, putting only a few things in order, before she began to pour over the books that she'd taken out of her library, studying, taking notes, and learning all she could. It turned out there were many different techniques to sketching out faces that she'd never met. But in one of the books she found descriptions of fictional people and a challenge to draw them out as she saw them in her mind's eye before turning to the back of the book and checking her work. It allowed her to pick a technique she liked best, then practice to her hearts desire! By morning she was convinced that her drawing of Eric might not be one hundred percent accurate but it would be close enough. And with Ariel there helping her, actually interacting with the drawing, she might even be better than she thought.

Of course she was tired. By the time the sun rose she had admitted defeat and started drinking cup after cup of the foul tasting coffee to make sure she kept awake. She wasn't an idiot, she knew eventually she'd have to go to sleep again, but for now the exhaustion was worth it so long as she didn't have more of those terrible images in her head. After the sun came up she watched the clock, waiting for an acceptable time to head into town and see Ariel again so they could get started. She went upstairs, showered, changed, caked the make-up back under her eyes, and as soon as the clock struck nine, practically ran out of the house to drive into town with the small library of books in her bag.

On her way, she stopped at Granny's to pick up a couple of orders of pancakes and make sure that John and Michael were still doing okay. Archie informed her that all was well so far, but when she asked him, and Granny for that matter, about Christian Poisson they both shook their head. No, they didn't know the name, but could she describe him? Not surprisingly "tall, handsome, dark hair, and beautiful eyes" still didn't make an acceptable description. but she was hopeful that by lunch time she'd have a little something more to offer them in her search.

She picked up the food, waved good-bye, and walked the short distance down the street to the library. It felt strange, knocking on her own door, but the minute Ariel opened the door and she saw her nervous face the strange feeling was replaced with panic. "What's wrong?" she asked walking in and looking around. Everything appeared to be in order. The furniture didn't look broken, the floors weren't flooded, and she didn't see any burn marks by the stove. It appeared that Ariel had survived her first night alone in the human world. So why was she making that face?

As if she'd read her mind, she strode into the bedroom and returned with the cell phone she'd lent her. "It made a noise. I didn't touch it, I didn't know what to do."

She took the small object and looked down at it. "It's nothing," she explained to her, "just a text message from Ruby." She flipped the screen open and read.  _"Ashley's never heard of Christian Poisson and she didn't get to meet a Prince Eric before the curse. I'll ask Sean when he wakes up."_ In other words, Ruby had nothing for her. But that was okay, because she was about to have exactly what they needed.

She took Ariel back into her room and found her some more clothing, this time a skirt with a red top. The jacket was a little short in the arms but would accommodate the bracelet at least and as she moved around the apartment, preparing for the day, she told her of her plan. She listened, hanging on her every word and she could tell, just by the look in her eyes as she hung up her own pink jacket and the pair of them sat on the couch that she'd just given her the same thing she'd blessed her with: hope. She just hoped that she didn't let her down.

"So," she went on spreading the books out on the kitchen counter and pulling her sketch pad and pencils from her bag, setting up her work area and making herself comfortable. "I need you to tell me everything you remember about Eric. Everything. There is nothing too small to leave out."

"Well, he's tall, and handsome, he has dark hair and gorgeous eyes."

She smiled politely at the same response that she'd heard yesterday. "You already told me that, but I need more details."

"He's kind, and understanding, and accepting. He's an amazing dancer…" and if these weren't the ramblings of a woman in love she really didn't know what was. It was heartwarming, to see the look of admiration on someone other than herself, but it wasn't what she needed at the moment. She couldn't draw kind, understanding, or accepting.

"I'm sure he's wonderful," she interrupted. "but I need you to tell me about his face. Specifics. How is his nose shaped? How big is his forehead? What color are his eyes? Can you remember all that?"

Ariel smiled and sighed almost wistfully. "Just like it was yesterday," she muttered, and she realized, finally, that though Ariel was staring at her, she wasn't seeing her. She was looking at the picture of Eric she'd carried around with her from the moment she'd been separated. She knew the look well, and it was exactly what she needed. Before Ariel lost her concentration she began to talk, to guide her and prompt her to talk about specific parts of his face, starting from the top of his forehead, as she'd practiced last night, and moving down to his chin. She asked about every feature she could think of: forehead, eyes, nose, wrinkles, dimples, mouth, chin, ears, and made small lists with the information she gave her. When she was finished, she set to work, creating the drawing that she'd been sketching in her head and using the notes to guide her.

Ariel grew restless with the quiet, even got up and paced a bit, or practiced walking in the shoes she was wearing, as she worked. It made her nervous just watching her and she was thrilled when she finally remembered breakfast, handed the girl her portion, and she sat down to eat. "Tell me..." she pondered, hoping to find something to occupy her mind so she wouldn't pace. "Tell me how a mermaid falls in love with a prince." It was all the prompting she needed, as the mermaid launched into a tale of what seemed like pure luck. She'd rescued the prince from a shipwreck she just happened to be swimming by, and fell in love the first time she laid eyes on him. She'd saved him but had to leave before he'd awoken and when he was taken back to his palace she'd followed, happy to learn that he lived right by the sea. There had been so many nights when she'd watched him, through windows on balcony's, the only thing she'd wanted from the moment she'd saved him was to be a part of his world.

But how was a mermaid supposed to be with a human?

She stayed in the area, continuing her secret watch over the palace every night, and collecting little bits of human junk that fell into the water until one day she collected a paper announcing a ball, one that would occur during high tide, the one time that a mermaid could have legs! In that moment, she'd decided on a plan: she'd go, she'd meet the prince, for real this time, and if the moment was right…well, she never actually gotten that far. She hadn't thought to plan ahead to what happened if she found out that he loved her like she did him.

A woman that she'd saved from diving off a cliff helped her dress and encouraged her to talk to the Prince, to dance with him, and when she realized that he might just feel for her what she did for him, she panicked. He'd invited her to see the world with him, but how was she supposed to do that when only a few hours later she'd have a fin again. How could a human ever love a fish?

The tone of her story got dark suddenly, her voice dropped, and when Belle glanced up she could she her wringing her hands and picking at the bracelet on her wrist. It turned out the bracelet had been offered to her as a trick. The woman she'd saved from the cliff was Snow White, and the Evil Queen, in her attempts to kill her step-daughter, tricked Ariel into helping her capture her. She'd seen her mistake and corrected it, Snow had escaped, but at great cost to her. The Evil Queen knew who she was, knew her heart's desire, and knew how to make her suffer for taking away her victory.

After she'd rescued Snow, the runaway princess had convinced her to go back to Eric, to explain things, how she felt and what she was. She'd gone back to the docks as fast as she could and seen Eric, but the Queen was prepared, and took her voice away from her as revenge. "I could have gotten his attention, but I couldn't have explained things! How was I supposed to ever make him understand? And he deserved so much better than a mermaid that couldn't even tell him she loved him!

"So…" she paused and swallowed back what looked like silent tears. "I went back to Neverland and never left. I just couldn't bear to leave again, even when the other mermaids stopped being friends with me because I had no voice. They just didn't understand. How could they? Being in love is like…it's just…it's so…"

Layered. Love was layered.

"I understand," she informed her with a happy smile. "So," she went on, looking back at the drawing so far and getting back to work, "Eric doesn't know? That-that you're a mermaid?"

"No," she answered with desperation in her eyes. "I never got the chance to tell him. And, anyway, it really doesn't matter anymore because I'm not a mermaid. Not anymore. So long as I have the bracelet on, I'm human. Right?!

Her smile dissolved quickly at her admission as she suddenly understood the mermaids desperation. She was quietly begging her not to tell Eric what she knew, not to tell him that she knew what Ariel was. But lies like that made her nervous. They were accidents, or in her experience, large, loud arguments waiting to happen.

"You, uh, you do know you'll have to tell him why you wear that bracelet eventually."

"Why? Don't women here wear them all the time? You are," she pointed out, motioning to a small gold chain she'd placed around her own wrist that morning, the one she liked because it matched her new ring.

"Sure, but…" most bracelets were not nearly as big as the one that she was wearing and weren't going to attract nearly as much attention. Besides, it wasn't the bracelet that was the problem, it was her desire never to take it off, to never tell Eric what it was really for or why she needed it. "But not  _all_ the time, not to shower or sleep, and I think after a while he might start to catch on."

Ariel swallowed nervously, her eyes wide and frightened. "What do I do?" she asked quietly. She was genuinely scared of what would happen when Eric found out she was a mermaid. But that was no reason to keep the secret, terrifying as it was. Going back to Rumple time and time again, terrifying as the future had been, was always worth it in the end.

"You tell him the truth!" she insisted. "You tell him you're a mermaid, where you're from, and what happened." Ariel didn't appear thrilled with the suggestion, but at least she didn't look fearful, just nervous. She was a good person and she trusted that she'd do the right thing and tell Eric eventually. But she would hate for that truth to come at the wrong time. She'd learned the hard way how damaging withholding could be, but she'd also seen the happiness and peace that came from full disclosure. "You said that he was understanding and accepting."

"Well, yeah, but how is anyone supposed to understand-"

"I did! And he never will unless you give him the chance to. Trust me, if he loves you, truly loves you, he won't let your past stand in the way of your future."

Suddenly, that flare of interest and curiosity that she'd seen when the pair of them had been searching the shop sparked behind Ariel's gaze and she smiled. "You're speaking from experience, aren't you?"

Experience? With truth and lies? She could have written the book. But they were on opposite sides of the situation. Unlike Ariel, she'd usually been the one in the dark, wondering what had happened in his past that was effecting their present. Or wondering the origins of some act or behavior, like secrecy.

"Rumple...he doesn't lie...not exactly," she admitted, remembering all the times he'd gotten around the truth by carefully choosing his words or leaving out details. "But he's not always as truthful as he should be and sometimes it's a struggle to get him to tell me all of what he's thinking, because he thinks he's protecting me or he thinks that I won't understand."

"But you do?!" she interjected hopefully. "When he tells you the truth, you understand?"

Yes. No. Sometimes. There had been a time when she didn't understand, when she hated the way he hid himself from her. But the truth helped, the truth was what let her understand why he did it. It was a lot to take in sometimes, but the more he told her, the more and more he informed her of his past, the people he met, the deals he made, and the experiences he'd lived, the more she understood why he was secretive. She didn't always understand why he'd done what he'd done or agree with it, but she always understood him a little more.

What was more, it seemed like the more she'd gotten him to tell her, the more he'd learned that she was different, that she could be trusted. The more they'd told each other the more they'd understood each other. The truth was not always easy, for either of them. The truth about Cora had sparked a jealous nature she didn't know she had, the truth about Baelfire, just giving away his name, had terrified him beyond belief. But at the end of the day, she was certain that both of them where happy the information was no longer hidden. And the secrets they carried for each other, had only served to knit them closer together. It might take a while to "understand" but the result always made the confessions worth it.

"His past...it's complicated," she explained. "There's a lot of it to understand and sometimes it's overwhelming, but I've never regretted learning the truth. Trust me, if Eric loves you the fact that you're a mermaid won't matter nearly as much as it will the day he has to find out from someone else." She'd been on that side of his life as well, when it was Hook that had told her the truth about what happened to Milah. That news wouldn't have been better coming from his mouth, but it certainly would have been easier for the both of them.

Ariel cast her gaze downward, and began picking at the hard pieces of her precious bracelet, but she didn't say anything. She was lost to her thoughts, her mind turning over the knowledge she'd just shared with her. It was okay. At least she was thinking about telling him the truth, and if she was thinking about it then there was hope. And Ariel didn't need to tell her what she decided. The only one that would need to know was Eric. So long as they found him first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved this conversation. it just seemed so easy and natural, the perfect place that their friendship would go. After seeing how Ariel struggled in 3x06 with telling Eric everything I wanted to reintroduce that idea and really...who better to talk to Ariel about the good things that come from telling the truth than Belle. If anyone has experience in that department, it is her. Though, as it is noted she is usually on the other side of it. And I like to think that a conversation like this might help her as well.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	25. That Which Is Lost Can Be Found

She left Ariel to her thoughts, intending to take advantage of the silence and finish the strange face she was drawing. But as she gazed from her notes to the sketch on the paper, she came to one conclusion. She was done! She eagerly looked over her notes one more time, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything, making sure she really was done. Every note, everything down to the small lines and freckles Ariel had described to her, were there. There was nothing more to be done. She'd drawn Eric.

At least as far as she knew she'd drawn Eric. Unlike the books she'd learned from this time she had the advantage of Ariel sitting right across from her, if there was anything wrong, the girl could tell her and they could fix the image until it was perfect. The more detailed the better.

"This is the first time I've done this, so tell me what needs changed and I'll change it," she explained handing her work over to the girl across from her.

Ariel took it from her eagerly, looked it up and down, and suddenly grinned ear to ear. "That's it! That's him! You did it!"

"Really?" she questioned astounded. If she'd gotten it right the first time then she might need to think about a career change, or at least loaning her skills to Emma when the crew returned…whenever that might be. "If there is anything wrong, anything at all that needs changed we can fix it," she reminded her.

"No, no! It's perfect. That's him. This is Eric," she exclaimed, looking down at the sketch and running her fingers over the solid traces of unmoving hair. "He's just as I remember him."

It was the look in Ariel's eyes that convinced her she'd done her job right. To her the drawing wasn't just paper and graphite, it was flesh and blood. But as much as she would have loved to let her new friend sit at the couch and stare into his lifeless eyes, she knew that the real thing would be even better, and they weren't going to find him just looking at the paper. Or on an empty stomach, she realized, looking up at a clock and seeing that it was past noon. They had the sketch, now they just needed to get it hung up where people could see it. And a splash of color wouldn't hurt either.

Reluctantly, she pulled Ariel's attention back into the present. With Ariel's help, they picked out the appropriate colors. His skin tone. The right shade for a shadow. The red of his cheeks. The black for his hair. And the perfect "gorgeous" for his eyes. The coloring was a lot easier than drawing and took a lot less time. When they finally finished she wrote the word "Missing" across the top and at the bottom "Christian Poisson, maybe Eric. If you have information please call..." before leaving her phone number and giving it a final look over. It didn't imply anything about who he really was, didn't reveal his identity completely, and looked just like him. What more could they do?

She put the paper in her pocket, told Ariel she'd be back soon, and left the apartment telling her she would pick up lunch from Granny's on the way back. It wasn't a long walk to the board, the one that sat outside the town hall, posted with flyers like this, only their white paper had weathered after being left to the elements for so long. It looked as though no one had touched it since the curse broke, they'd all found their loved ones. Ruby was right, it was a long shot. But she had to hope that someone might see it, might be caught off guard by the bright new paper and take a moment to look at him, to recognize him.

With a sigh, she secured the paper to the board, stood back to inspect it…and nearly fell over as she did. It was true she'd drawn the image but she hadn't really been paying attention then! She was so caught up in the work, in the details, that she hadn't really allowed herself to see the image before. But when she looked at the face, really took in the entire drawing, her heart leapt in her chest with excitement.

She knew him! Well. No. She didn't know him, not by name but she had a flash of recognition that made her certain she'd seen him before! And not in the Enchanted Forest, but here...somewhere... Where? She looked at the picture again trying to focus, to imagine flesh tone and eye color, the toothy smile Ariel had described. What she got wasn't a memory, but a feeling. An imprint of an emotion: depression. No, not just sadness, but complete hopelessness. It was all she needed to know. A feeling like that wasn't triggered by meeting someone on the street or at home. That particular emotion was exclusive to this last week, since Rumple had left. She'd seen him recently then. Where?! When?! She just had to remember! She just had to think! Retrace her steps, where had she been this last week? Where had she seen that face?!

No strangers had been in the library. She hadn't seen him there then. She was nearly certain he hadn't been one of the people that she and Archie had sat down with in their attempt to run the town, to act as mayor. So then who was he? The only other places she'd been this week were places that she was certain she would have remembered him: the mines, the shop, the house, the Inn and...Granny's diner.

The face and the correct setting finally pulled the memory from her mind. The man, the stranger, the one that had come into the diner the day they'd decided to stop the watched at the town line! That was him! She was certain. Christian Poisson. "Prince Eric," she muttered happily to herself.

But then where was he, now! Would Granny know? Would she? She closed eyes and rubbed her forehead as if it would stimulate her synapses to work again. She did her best to picture that moment exactly, all the details, every last one. He'd wanted to know if the diner was open. It had been closed for the meeting, but since they'd finished their business already she had been the one to open the door for him. He'd smelled. She remembered that clearly. He'd smelled like raw fish. And when she'd explained that they were open, that the sign must have turned over on itself, he'd been happy.  _"My boat got back to the docks late and I missed lunch, figured I'd stop by."_

That was it! The missing piece of the puzzle. The smell. The boat. The docks! Ariel had mentioned that Eric's palace was by the shore and that she'd rescued him from a shipwreck. That was the connection. He was a fisherman here!

She smiled as she moved away from the board, hurrying all the way back to the library. She glanced upward, as if she might be able to see Ariel through the walls. She could go up and tell her. Let her know that she had an idea, a hunch! But what if she was wrong? Did she really want to get the girls hopes up, only to be dashed? The keys in her pocket hung heavy in her jacket. It was a fair walk to the docks from here but with his car it was only a couple of minutes. She could go. She could spend a couple of minutes asking around, trying to find him. If she failed, she could always go collect their lunch and continue as they planned, Ariel never needed to know. And if she succeeded... She smiled at the thought as she walked quickly to the car, folded herself inside, and sped away. What was the harm in checking?!

The docks were different than the day he'd left. Then, everyone had gone home for the day, or to hug their loved ones before the world ended. Now, it was busy, covered with tables, crawling with men in rubber boots, oversized trousers, and stubble. Best of all, it had that same fish smell that had wafted off of the man she'd met at Granny's. This, she was sure, was where all of the fisherman worked, it was a small town there weren't many of them. But she didn't recognize any as the man that had walked into Granny's.

"Can I help you?" she turned on her heel at the strange gruff voice and spotted a tall lank man eyeing her strangely.

"I'm looking for someone," she explained, patting herself down, searching her pockets for...the drawing! Her heart sank as she realized that she'd left it hanging on the board. It was the one visual thing she had, the one important thing she needed and she'd forgotten to take it with her! No! No, the drawing wasn't all. It wasn't much, but she had a name, the name Rumple had given Ariel. Surely he hadn't been wrong. He never had been before. A name would be enough? Wouldn't it? "Christian Poisson?" she asked timidly.

The man looked at her for a moment, then, after what felt like an eternity of waiting passed, he nodded. "Christian Poisson? Yeah, sure I know him. Good Fisherman. Better man." Her heart hammered and she smiled wide. Christian Poisson. She'd found him, she'd kept her promise! So long as Rumple wasn't wrong. He never was but it never hurt to be cautious.

"Do you know who he was?" she went on, hoping for another lucky answer. "Before Storybrooke, I mean."

"Nope," the man picked up a large coil of rope and slung it over his shoulder. "Christian's not much of a talker, kid's closed up like a clam when you try and get friendly with him. Tends to keep to himself." No confirmation on his past then. But if what Ruby told her about the royals keeping to themselves was true then that would make sense. He didn't want to risk the Queen finding him. "If you're looking for him, you caught him on a good day. Boat got in after bringing in his catch for the day. He left for lunch about an hour ago but Christian works like clock work, never takes more than an hour. If you wait around for five minutes or so, he'll be back."

"Really? Five minutes? He'll be here?!"

"Yeah, ah...there!" he exclaimed pointing to a spot on the dock next to a tied up boat, some barrels, and tables. "That's his boat. He'll be just down there. He slices and dices what he caught after lunch then takes off again. He's not the best fisherman in the world but he's certainly one of the hardest workers I know. You can wait for him if you like."

Wait? Not a chance. If she only had a few minutes until the Prince returned then she knew how she was going to spend them. She excused herself, thanking the man with a wide smile, and hurried back to the car. She made the two minute drive in only a minute, parked the car, flew up into the apartment, and hustled Ariel out the door. It wasn't difficult. All she needed to do was say "I think I found him" and suddenly it was the red-head hurrying the pair of them along, wondering what was taking so long and why she needed to bring her cell phone. The two got back into the car and left.

She tried to calm Ariel's nerves, tell her that she hadn't actually seen him but someone had known the name and pointed out the place that he worked. There was always a chance, she reminded her, that she didn't have the right person or that something might have happened and he wouldn't be there. But it was hard to convince Ariel of something she didn't have much faith in. Something about being at the dock felt right. She couldn't explain why, but she just felt like she was in the right place at the right time. Something good was coming. She felt it.

What Ariel felt she wasn't entirely sure. The closer they got to the docks the more her smile grew but her knees were also bouncing up and down nervously and she began to wring her hands in her lap, adjust clothing, fiddle with her bracelet, anything to keep her hands busy. When they got out of the car she straightened her skirt, and suddenly became extremely careful about where she stepped and how she walked. It was the same feeling that she'd had when she'd walked back into the castle when she knew she loved him but had yet to tell him. Nerves were natural. She just hoped that it had more to do with possibly seeing him again, and less to do with their conversation about her being a mermaid.

She led the pair of them into the busy docks and down a ramp, nodding to the nice fisherman who had told her about Christian Poisson in the first place. "So if the name Rumple gave you is correct..." and the fisherman hadn't been lying, and Eric didn't have a twin somewhere in this town... "he works here." She pointed to the same place, the same boat and tables, that the fisherman had shown her, only this time, just as he'd predicted there was a man standing there. It was him, the one that she'd seen at Granny's. And the details weren't as perfect as Ariel had led her to believe but he did bear a striking resemblance the man she'd drawn. She stopped and turned to look at Ariel as they approached him hoping to see recognition in her face.

It was there, no doubt in her mind, but there was also more than that, the greatest look she could have hoped to find. Surprised shock. And happiness. And breathless amazement. And...love. Definitely love.

"Is that him?" she asked, trying to remind the girl that her days of being without a voice were over and now was the time to speak, to tell Eric everything she'd wanted to tell him before. "Is that Eric?"

"Yes," she confirmed with a happy smile. But that smile faltered suddenly and she took a timid step back as she heard a violent bang. It was him, Eric. Simply the sound of a clever chopping fish. An ordinary sight on a dock, but not particularly welcome to a mermaid. Still, she couldn't help but beam at Ariel, at the look on her face, and the irony of his job.

"Wow, he must really hate me," she commented. There was going to be a lot of learning in store for the pair of them, it was true. But it wasn't any excuse to turn and run, as she sensed Ariel was considering. His current job had nothing to do with her and everything to do with the enigma of the curse. If he loved her, they'd get through their differences. She and Rumple had.

"Go on, go talk to him," she urged, pushing her forward. She was shaking, she could feel it even through her jacket, but despite her pushing Ariel remained with two feet firmly planted in front of her. "Go!" she encouraged, this time giving her another strong shove.

This time it worked and Ariel began taking slow agonizing steps toward the man called Christian Poisson. Even if she hadn't gone forward there was no chance of Ariel leaving now. Her last word had caught Eric's attention and he was looking right at them. Well. Not them, exactly, not at her. Just Ariel. As far as Eric was concerned, she didn't exist, and neither did anyone else on the dock. Yes, he still loved her.

"Ariel!" he muttered with surprise. And she wouldn't say that he was looking at her, more like gazing at him with the exact same kind of amazement Ariel had used when she looked at him. Ariel turning up was the last thing he'd expected today.

She watched happily as the scene unfolded before her. Ariel seemed frozen suddenly, unable to move any farther. Eric, somehow, seemed to understand and removed the rubber apron he'd been wearing and stepped around the table to reach her where she was. For a moment he looked as though he was going to say something to her, but then his resolved wavered and he decided against it. What he decided to do was far better than words, in her experience. He kissed her! And it was only a moment later that Ariel kissed him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! A happy ending! I won't waste too much of your time here, I'm just curious about what ya'll thought of the Ariel arc I invented?! Did you like it? I hope you liked it! I like it. Although at the moment I'm sure everyone is happy for another reason entirely. If Ariel and Eric are kissing in this chapter, that must mean the next chapter has...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	26. Two and Two Does Not Make Three

They'd done it. They'd found Eric! She'd found him with Rumple's help. It only proved that they could work together. Even if they were in different realms...

Her smile faded at the thought, they worked well in other realms. Now if only they could get the opportunity to work together in this world. Maybe then they would get more blissful moments like the one Ariel was having right now.

Suddenly a strange noise pulled her attention away from the mermaid and her prince. A noise she didn't know and couldn't identify. She followed the sound, looking around, expecting to find it on the dock, but had to look up to find its source. There was something in the sky, something obscured by the clouds, and with a flash became visible but still unidentified.

"What's that?" she heard Ariel question. It was a question she'd like the answer to as well. It wasn't a bird or any other kind of animal that she knew. And it definitely wasn't any kind of plane or aircraft, she knew what those sounded like. But she could see that whatever it was it was coming for them...and it couldn't be good. Her heart pounded as she stared at it, holding her breath as she watched it come closer and closer to them, before the worst thing she could think of happened. She'd hoped the cloaking spell would keep it out, or at least keep it out long enough for them to figure out what was going on and what to do about it, to prepare. But instead, the object visibly burst through the barrier as if nothing was there, or as if...

As if they knew it was there but knew exactly how to break through without destroying it. Her jaw dropped as the object finally became clear.

It was a ship, heading not for land but for sea. And it had broken through the barrier so easy because there was someone on board who knew about the protection spell, and would know how to break through it…

Because he'd been the one that created it. Her heart swelled and her breath vanished.

"He's back!" she exclaimed as she felt herself begin to fill up with joy.

She couldn't take her eyes off the wonderful sight as it splashed down distantly off shore, probably about as far out as it could be without leaving the protection of the cloaking spell. There wasn't a lot of wind, and it made their journey from the outskirts of the town to the empty dock slowly. She made herself busy as she waited. It was the only thing she could do not to jump in and swim out to them herself, to get to him as fast as possible. They were back and she couldn't wait to see Rumple, but he wasn't the only one on that ship. After what they'd been through, after what they'd done, people should be there! To greet them! To celebrate! More than just some fisherman. She made her way through the maze of wooden planks over to the place they seemed to intend to dock and plucked her phone from her pocket. She called Granny. If she wanted news spread and spread quickly, Granny was the place to start, especially at lunch time.

People began swarming the docks almost as soon as she hung up. The fishermen that were curious, the dwarves that were on lunch break, Archie brought Mother Superior, and Granny came with John and Michael in tow. Everyone had smiles plastered on their faces and talked with each other about what had happened and how good it would be to see them again as they all eagerly waited for them. She felt like a nervous ball of energy, like she couldn't stand still, couldn't breathe! The ship was moving so slow and all she wanted was to see him again! But the closer the vessel got, the more frantic she became.

Bodies came into view first, scrambling around the ship, following orders, she assumed, to dock the ship. The fact that there were more people on board than there were when they first left gave her hope that maybe they had succeeded in finding Wendy, but she couldn't think about that now. The only thought in her head was that none of the body types she'd seen matched his. None walked with his limp. Or moved the way he did. Or even stood there with his haughty demeanor!

Finally, faces became clearer. She could identify Mary Margaret. David. Hook. Henry, was there too. And boys. Children, really, that she didn't know. But no Rumpelstiltskin. Her throat felt swollen with tears and her heart felt as though it ceased beating. The images that she'd dreamt, the nightmares, all the terrible scenarios that had haunted her since he left flashed in front of her eyes again.

Her one saving grace was logic, the sensible side of her brain. Though the voice in her head was being drowned out and was small, it reminded her that she also didn't see Emma or Regina, either. The other two magic beings on their expedition were also missing. Containment, she concluded. If they'd brought Pan back as a prisoner, or the box was dangerous, he could simply be below deck trying to contain the evil.

She pressed to the front of the crowd as they finally docked and ignored the sound of cheers and clapping as the gang plank fell onto the ramp, and smiling faces happy to be home filled her vision. Henry was the first off, looking around the crowd and the town as though he'd never seen them before...or maybe it was simply they were a sight for sore eyes after the ordeal he'd gone through. She told herself that it was good news. That was why he'd gone after all, to save Henry. But she had to ignore his voice in her head the last time he'd told her that the boy was his undoing...no! She wouldn't believe it until she had proof. She couldn't.

Emma followed her son, giving a shy smile at the unfamiliar cheers, but managing to hide a blush just the same. Mary Margaret and David followed, receiving the jubilant noises well, as any royal had been raised too. Her heart was racing. They were great, she was happy they were back, but she'd could see them later. Where was he? Her nerves seemed to go up every time a new face that wasn't his stepped in front of her! Regina was next to appear and the only one she'd seen so far not smiling. She glanced around as if the crowd meant nothing to her and then moved on and...

Rumpelstiltskin.

He saw her instantly, as if he'd known she'd be waiting there for him all along. Her body couldn't decide what to do. Laugh? Cry? Smile? Instead she seemed to do all of them at once, and all the voices, the pictures, terrible thoughts, the sadness, the people...they were all gone. There was her. And there was him. And nothing more. He smirked. No. He smiled! It was small, but it was a smile all the same! And as he made his way down the ramp, she decided to swallow her tears because they seemed like a waste after she'd cried so many in his absence. He was whole. He was perfect and alive. He took big quick strides toward her, arms open just as her own were and when he finally moved into her embrace it was hard to tell who had fallen into the other first.

They collided harder than she would've thought. Instead of gentle arms and a quiet moment like they'd shard just before he left, they crashed into each other so violently they had to take a few steps to offset the motion, but they never left one another's grasp. It was a moment. A moment all its own that couldn't be compared to any other they'd ever had before. Her arms wrapped tighter around his neck than they ever had and as he held her close he seemed to melt into her. His muscles eased and she felt him sigh against her in what she was sure was relief. Though she couldn't see his face she was certain that when she saw it again, it wouldn't have nearly as many grooves and worry lines in it as she'd seen when he first stepped off the ship. The effect they had on each other was mystical and she was certain neither would ever fully understand it, but the proof of it could be seen in moments like this.

He released her after a moment, but only slightly, only enough that she could see his face while still keeping his hands firmly around her waist. He was happy. Truly happy. She didn't know that she'd never really seen him happy until now! It was a remarkable look, but there was still a certain element of disbelief under his gaze. Part of that happiness was because of her! He was seeing her again. He really hadn't thought he would live to see this day. And though she wouldn't admit it, there were moments that she'd wondered if he would too.

"I told you I'd see you again," she reminded them both.

He gave her a small, knowing nod. "That's the last time I don't listen to you," he conceded. She let out a happy laugh at his silly promise and wanted desperately to reach up and pull him against her again. They'd never been public in their affections before. Her hand around his arm. The occasional innocent touch. The moment before he left, and even then there hadn't been a crowd as large as this to witness it. But, she figured, at a time like this, it would be a terrible thing to go without holding one another. Especially when all she wanted to do was curl against him with the knowledge he was there.

"Hey!" a loud voice yelled out suddenly stealing his attention from her before they could do anything more. It was a voice she recognized and a face, although not from her own memories, but from Lacey's. Neal. Baelfire. Bae.

"Hey!" she greeted happily, reaching out, hoping she could undo their first terrible encounter and show him who she really was. But instead of welcoming her touch at his shoulder, he gave the smallest of flinches and expertly hid a small stumble with a back step, like he'd had to fight not to flee from it. "Welcome back."

"Thank you," he muttered quietly. He was smiling at her, but it wasn't as genuine as she would have liked it to be. He didn't look at her with distaste or anger, it was just a look that told her he didn't quite know what to do with her. He was polite...just as she would expect him to be around a perfect stranger. But the smile he offered to his father was different. There was hope there, a connection that she hadn't seen the day Lacey met him on the street. Something had changed. On both sides of the equation. There was something more to it, something with depth, that ran deeper than blood. As much as she wanted to question it, to ask what had happened, and sit down and talk with the man she'd heard so much about, she knew that this wasn't the time or the place. He needed his father now. Better yet he wanted his father, he'd sought him out! It was remarkable and he deserved the opportunity to bask in that feeling! For now, she was content to simply listen to their exchange, to let him hold her close to his side as if to prevent her from wandering away to give them privacy, and to hold him just as tightly right back.

"I, uh, I found this below deck," Bae said, holding something out for him. In his hands was the black and gold cane she knew so well. She stared down at it, trying to hide her amazement. Had he been walking without it?! Had she not noticed? He'd told her once he couldn't support his own weight on his ankle, she'd seen the deformity herself! How was it possible that he had walked down the ramp so well without it?! "I thought you might need it."

"Thank you Bae I do," he said reaching out to grab it, but still he didn't settle any weight on it. He just held it, looked at it as she'd never seen him look at it! Before, he'd looked upon it as a nuisance, hating his disability and all the things that he wasn't able to do quickly or easily because of it. Now, he looked on it with affection almost. Her curiosity about the events in Neverland only grew with that look. "As a reminder of the man I was," his grasp on her back seemed to tighten suddenly and he reached out almost playfully for his son. "And shall no longer be."

Baelfire looked as though he might burst into tears but managed to hold it back. Instead he reached out and wrapped an arm around his father. There they were. Father and son. Lovers. All reunited. It was a miraculous sight. And the look on his face, the smile he had, the wondrous gleam in his eyes was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. It was a moment she wasn't even sure she had considered. But now that it was here, now that she was a part of it and could claim it just as much as he did, she never wanted it to end.

Until she caught Bae's gaze and he glanced quickly away from her returning his attention to his father, back to the person he was sure about. It was almost perfect. They weren't quite a happy family of three. They were two and two with a shared denominator. She just hoped she could change that in the days to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright...the purpose of this scene, besides the fact that it was...well, I call them seen scenes... I know that a lot of people love the shot of Belle, Rumple, and Neal all standing together after the boat docks and I know a lot of them look at it like a family reunion. I didn't see that. I saw pretty much exactly what Belle sees in the last paragraph. Two and two with a shared denominator. Neal didn't exactly look comfortable with Belle. Don't get me wrong, he didn't really look uncomfortable, but he certainly didn't throw his arms around her and say "hey, thanks I can't wait to tell you about the trip". He's polite. Just as you'd expect him to be on the first first meeting. And he's also...I wouldn't say skeptical, but let's call it defensive. To a kid who has lived on the streets, had people come and go, a mother abandon him, a father give him up...you can't exactly be surprised that he's not exactly best friends with her at first glance right (because remember, the only other time he met her was when she was Lacey). So for now Neal and Belle are not much more than acquaintances. However...that will change. One of my favorite relationships in Moments Exchanged (the fiction after MH&U) is going to be their budding relationship. We'll see it a bit here too, the start of it that is. But in ME it's really going to grow and expand and if you are looking for some really good Belle and Neal moments then look no further than ME because it'll be amazing!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	27. The World Spins On

She would have been happy just to have the three of them stand there forever, to simply bask in his smile and the feel of him pressed against her side, but a cry from a familiar voice she'd been on alert for all week broke her bliss. "Wendy!" Michael called. She and Bae both turned toward the voice, before she followed Bae's gaze to a small girl draped in a red robe just coming off the boat. She appeared to be the only female child that had returned with them and the moment she caught sight of the two men running forward toward her she knew she couldn't be more proud of him.

"Michael!" Wendy yelled excitedly running up to her brothers and throwing her arms around them. She grinned, still fighting off happy tears at the exchange. She knew there had been something more to them. Though it was surprising to her, that in a flash Baelfire released his father and walked over to join the three of them, greeting the brothers like they were old friends...no, like they were more than that! Another story to be learned? Just like all his stories of Neverland.

"Wendy!" she smiled at him, beyond thrilled at the sight of the child. "You remembered her."

"You didn't think I'd disappoint you."

Disappoint her? She shook her head, remembering the way she'd convinced Ariel that all she had to do was tell him she wanted him to bring her home and he would. She'd been right. "I never doubted you," she whispered.

He smiled at the comment, looking down at her like she was a sight for sore eyes, like she was the more precious piece of treasure he'd ever seen. His hand rose to touch her cheek and before she could question it or ponder the fact that they were still very much so in the public eye he'd leaned down and drawn her lips to his. She'd lost time of the number of times they'd exchanged kisses long ago, but still remembered each and every one of them, and the feelings that they'd all stirred in her. This was different than all of them. This kiss was relaxed. It was fresh and happy, full of possibilities. It was a sigh of relief that they both shared, and this time when they allowed their heads to fall back together they knew they weren't going to be letting the other go for quite some time.

"And we owe a lot of it to her!" the sudden shout from Mary Margaret forced them to break their silent gaze and they broke apart, exchanging one side for his other so she could see what was happening around her. She expected Mary Margaret to be looking at Emma, or Ariel, or maybe even Wendy. What she wasn't prepared for was for all eyes to be turned to Regina, standing alone by the ramp. "Regina helped save us all!" And, in her opinion, Regina seemed just as surprised by the recognition as she was...as half the town was! Instead of cheers, or clapping, or even nods of agreement, people scoffed. They shook their heads, glared at the woman, some even turned walked away. It was the beginning of the end, as those that had gathered to watch the spectacle chose that moment to leave.

But Regina handled the attention and the reception she'd received, she had to admit, spectacularly. She kept her gaze on Henry, offered the boy a small smile, and said "well, we all did what we had to do to save our son." "We"? "Our"? Small pronouns, but they had big meaning.

"A lot has changed, hasn't it?" she asked him softly, beginning to get the feeling that it was going to take more than one sitting to understand all of the events that had happened in Neverland.

"It has," he confirmed.

"Regina seems different," she pointed out. "And Hook-"

"The difference is a matter of opinion," he stated in a dark tone, as if he knew the truth but hated to admit it, or maybe didn't trust that it was permanent. "But for the little reassurance it's worth," he muttered looking down at her, "I don't think either of them will try to hurt you again."

She smiled, that thought hadn't crossed her mind yet, although she knew it would have eventually. "Because of you?" she questioned. That was always what she'd believed. They'd be idiots to come after her with him nearby, her faithful sentinel.

"Something like that..." he whispered holding her tighter. Somethings would never change, like his undying concern for her safety, but according to him some things could. Regina could leave her in peace. The pirate could stop trying to kill her. But how all this had happened when it wasn't that long ago that they were all enemies was still a mystery to her. What had happened in Neverland?

"It's a long story, isn't it?" she assumed.

"Oh, don't worry," he muttered as the crowd began to dissipate for good, "we've got time."

"Gold!" Did they? Could they really have time? The way that David and Emma were fighting the current of moving people to get to the pair of them made her think otherwise. "Should we be worried about that?!" he asked pointing toward the ship. She followed his motion and noticed what she hadn't before. One of the sails was not as pearly white as the others. It was black. Had it been before they'd left? The last time she'd been on Hooks ship? She couldn't remember.

"Don't worry, it's trapped," he answered, staring up at the sight. "Just as it was in the candle." He held his hand out securely holding shut the very box she'd fought so hard to get to him only days before. "The only person that can free it is safely in here," he informed them as he pulled her with them away from the boat.

"How do we keep it that way?" Emma asked sternly. Whoever was trapped in that box, the one capable of freeing whatever was making the sail black, was obviously someone none of them wanted freed. Peter Pan, then? She knew he wanted to defeat him with the box and she'd heard nothing of him since they docked. Was it possible that Pan was in the box?!

"It'll be safely protected in my shop, just as before," he said as they joined Bae and Regina once again.

"You sure about that, Gold?" Regina questioned with her distrusting skepticism, "I won't take chances, not with Henry and certainly not with Pan."

"Nor would I," he hissed at her. "It'll be safe."

The two stared at each other for a moment, silently facing off before, surprisingly, Baelfire sighed and offered a confident nod. "I'm okay with that." She smiled at the man, thrilled he'd been the one to say it. It wasn't just her in his corner anymore, it appeared she had company. And by the look on his face, Rumple noticed as well. Her hold on his arm tightened as four of them began to launch into a discussion on what came next, where they had to go, what needed done. He appeared uninterested, and turned his back on them as they plotted. It was okay with her. At least this way she could pretend they were alone, at least she could get a few words in before the world began to spin again.

"You managed the spell without a problem," he said, looking out over the bay with eyes that made her feel like he was examining the invisible barrier she'd created with his help...with everyone's help.

"Not without a problem," she admitted with a slight blush, "but I did manage." He wasn't the only one that would have stories to tell. She had a few of her own as well, but she'd still trade them all in a heartbeat simply to experience just one of them together. "Is it alright? Did I do it correctly?"

"You did perfect, Sweetheart. I never doubted you would." Sweetheart. She'd missed being someone other than Belle. She was more than happy to be "sweetheart" and "darling" even "beautiful" again. But there was still a while to go before they made it there, obstacles to overcome. The first of which was still in his hand.

"Will that really be safe in the shop?" she asked motioning toward Pandora's Box. "Just like before?"

"For tonight," he nodded. "Tomorrow I'll place more protection around it, but that will be more of a precaution than a necessity."

"Hey Mom! Dad!" the small group turned to search for Henry, for his voice crying out over the dock. He was standing away from them, defensively stepping away from one of the ragged boys they had brought with them. A really tall and fierce looking boy. "What about Felix? He's still free!" The four converged on the boy, Felix she assumed, but Rumple stayed in place with her. The look on his face told her that the boy was not a friend. So if he wasn't a friend then who was Felix? And why was Rumple looking at him as he had once looked at Hook? She didn't know, but the feeling that she got just from looking at Felix made her shrink from him. She didn't doubt Rumpelstiltskin, but suddenly she found herself understanding Regina's skepticism.

"Are you sure?" she asked, glancing between the box and Felix as they talked with him. "Are you sure the box can wait that long for protection?" If there was a threat of some kind in town, maybe it wasn't worth the risk.

"You needn't worry," he assured her, "Felix isn't a threat, he's easily taken care of. Besides, it'll have to wait until tomorrow. I have plans with a beautiful woman tonight." She blushed at the suggestion, it sounded wonderful but it could wait. So long as she was with him, she wouldn't be offended if he wanted to protect the box.

But before she could open her mouth to tell him, Baelfire jogged back over to the pair of them. "Hey!" he called out as he joined them. "David is going to take Felix to the jail. The rest of us will meet you at the shop to hide that thing," he informed them, nodding to the box. It appeared that the box was the true center of attention here. It had to be Peter Pan trapped within its depths. Right?

"It's not necessary," he informed his son. "Protecting the box doesn't require any more than me-"

"Yeah, all the same..." Bae cut in, "it'll be good for Henry," he insisted, making a motion with is shoulder toward the boy tucked safely under Emma's arm and being told something by his mother. Henry seemed different too. Maybe not up close, the changes were subtle, but she could see the tension he carried in his shoulders at Emma's touch, and the way his eyes stared blankly at Regina, the connection she'd once seen gone. Traumatizing as this experience had been, Bae was right. If Henry was ever going to be able to put everything he'd seen and heard, everything he had to have done to survive his time with Greg and Tamara and the Lost Boys, he needed to feel like it was safe to be a kid again. Seeing the box shut away for good wouldn't do that entirely, but it was a good visual, symbolic start.

"It'll show him he's really safe," she added, feeling a muscle in his arm ease at her insistence.

He didn't want to give in, she knew that. Probably because the idea of having that many people in his shop bothered him! But nevertheless, after a moment, he nodded in agreement. "We'll all meet at the shop then. Right away."

Bae nodded, giving her only the smallest of uneasy glances before excusing himself to tell the others. She knew what she could make Rumpelstiltskin do with her touches and requests, but his glance told her that Baelfire saw it too, and to say that he was unsure of it all, that he was surprised and uneasy, questioning her and the way that she clung to his arm...that was an understatement.

"He doesn't know what to think of me," she observed aloud.

"He, much like myself, didn't know to plan for you," he responded. She knew that, she'd thought it herself long ago, before she'd crossed the town line what seemed like ages ago. But knowing it and being prepared for it was one thing. Actually experiencing it was another. "He just needs time, Belle," he assured her, "he'll come around, you'll see."

She nodded, watching Bae in the distance, suddenly feeling impatient. How much "time" would he need exactly? Wasn't there anything that could be done to end the awkward feelings between the two of them? "Well...does he need a place to stay?" she asked, realizing Bae had barely been in town before he'd left. Where exactly had he been all this time? Where would he go now? "We have the room," she suggested timidly. She wanted to be alone with him tonight just as much as she imagined he did but if Bae needed a place to stay-

"He's got a room at Granny's," he informed her gently before turning to leave, eager to get back to the shop, to claim it as his own space again before it became too crowded. But she held him back as her eyes lingered on Bae, a smile wanting desperately to tug at her mouth as she watched him interact with Emma. It was a simple conversation, she assumed he was confirming that they were going back to the shop, but the way he shuffled, the way he straightened his shoulders and smiled happily but also nervously gave her pause.

"Is he…" What? Dating Emma? Shamelessly flirting with her? Hiding an unsung attraction poorly?

"Not for lack of trying," Rumple interjected, following her gaze and understanding her question before she even did. "Trust me."

She did. And not just because it was him saying it, but because she and Rumple weren't the only ones that hadn't had a moment of peace since the events at the town line. Ruby had told her that the Cora problem started in New York. Greg and Tamara had taken up time after that. And then Neverland! Baelfire had barely learned that he had a son but he seemed devoted to him, just as Rumple was to Bae. Being a father to his son was easy. What he'd be to the mother of his son after years away...well, obviously, that was going to take some more time to figure out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'd be surprised at how difficult and easy this chapter was to write. There wasn't really any one scene to work with, it was lots of little flashes of scenes. First they were here, then they were there, then someone else said something, then a plan got made. It was hard to keep track of them throughout it all but in the end once I had the sequence and outline done the rest of the conversation filled in quite well in my opinion. Though I might be a bit biased. What do you think?!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	28. Meaningful Gestures

Before the others could figure out what exactly they were doing, or make plans for how to get there, the pair of them escaped, walking arm in arm back to his car. Ironically, she'd parked it in the exact same place that he'd left it before he left for Neverland; he probably thought it hadn't moved all week! But she knew the distance the vehicle had gained in his absence. It was a strange thought. Was that really only an hour ago she and Ariel had arrived? Had she really only awoken that morning to come to town and draw Eric? Yes. And No. She hadn't awoken at all. She'd been up more than twenty-four hours at this point, trying to keep those terrible nightmares away. With any luck, they'd be gone tonight, and if they weren't she'd at least have the comfort of knowing they couldn't possibly be true because he was back where he belonged. She didn't have to wonder if she'd feel it if something happened to him. And she was certain that it was that thought alone that was making her feel wide awake.

When they approached the car he automatically placed his hand to his side searching for a pocket that would hold keys that didn't exist because they were currently tucked away in her own her jacket. She held back her laughter as panic crossed his face for a moment, perfectly normal for anyone who'd just lost their keys, strange for someone who had just gotten back from Neverland on a flying ship. She spared him further panic, reached into her pocket for them, and set the jingling metal into his hand. He gave her a confused look, trying to put together why she'd had them.

She shrugged at the wordless question. "They're your only set," she explained, "I've been using them to get around the last few days."

He nodded, registering that the story made sense. "They're not the only set," he informed her, "and we'll be sure to change that as soon as possible." She would have been intrigued by that comment, but the way he was looking at the keys, examining them like they were a strange object in a strange land, made her swallow. Apparently adjusting to Storybrooke again would be something that he needed to get used to as well.

"Do you want me to drive?" she asked cautiously, looking between him and the keys resting in his hand.

"No," he responded, glancing up at her again with a shake of his head, like he was coming out of some trance. "No. I-I-I'm fine, it just seems so...after…everything..." he couldn't seem to put the feeling into words, but she understood. After the week she was sure he'd had, driving a car must have seemed like childs play. Nevertheless, he unlocked the driver's side door and held it open so she could scoot across the seat without leaving his side. But once he sat down next to her and placed the keys in the ignition, it happened again. He paused, as if something else had struck him and turned to look at her as the car roared to life. "You can drive?"

Yes. That. Well, she couldn't blame him for that. It had surprised her too. Or it would have if she'd been capable of such an emotion at the time. "Lacey," she explained, with the single word. It may very well have been the shortest explanation in history, but he seemed to understand it and nodded all the same.

Suddenly he seemed to snap back to his normal self, coming to his senses and thinking calmly and collectedly. He set his cane on the other side of her, out of reach, but placed the box on her lap, informing her only to hold tight to it as she moved closer to him. He began the short drive, but she was oblivious to the town around her, or what should have been the strange sight of the Dark One driving a car. No, instead her mind was drawn to that box. Was it just her, or was it heavier, if only by a fraction, than when she'd last held it? Maybe warmer? Darker? And was that the vibration of the car? Or was there a small, tiny pulse, making the metal beat like a heart? She'd known that it could trap people within it, her books and Samuel had told her that much...but she hadn't expected the rest.

"Who...who is in here, exactly?" she asked, sealing her hands around it, trying to ignore the feeling it gave her while voicing the one question about Neverland that she wanted to know above all others. She had her suspicions, but she wanted to know. She needed to know for sure.

He sighed and kept his eyes firmly on the road ahead of him. "Peter Pan," he answered sternly with more contempt than he had for Hook.

"Peter Pan?" she confirmed. " _The_  Peter Pan?" she wondered aloud. She couldn't help but be shocked by the confirmation even knowing somewhere deep down that it was coming. It wouldn't have been the first time she'd heard his name. He'd told her he wanted to defeat Pan. John and Michael, wherever they'd gone off to with Wendy, had told her they were working for him. But something about hearing him use the name, confirming he was trapped within the tiny container seemed to make it real. Somehow she sensed that this was not the boy in green tights that Lacey's memory dictated he was. Or even the boy she read about in her books.

"You've heard of him?" he asked.

"There's an entire shelf dedicated to him in the library," she admitted.

"When you know the truth about him," he muttered ominously, "you might want to reconsider that." She wanted to ask him now what had happened, but she knew one question would only lead to another. "What happened?" would turn into "who's Peter Pan?", "what was in the sail?", "why did you need the box?", and "why did he want to take Henry in the first place?". All good questions. All questions she wanted answers too. But all questions that could wait as they arrived at the shop. They'd make sure the box was secure first, maybe then there would be time to discuss.

He held the door open for her and she slid out, bringing his cane as well before she remembered he didn't need it. Habit. Although, he took it from her, and walked to the store with it as if he still needed it, just as he had when he'd been at the dock. It was too much a part of him to lose, just as the first one, the one she'd seen in the castle, had been. She could understand that. When he stepped inside the shop he seemed to freeze, take it all in. The gleam of the glass cases. The smell of the old wood. The rusting iron. Even the dull wall paper. All his, all familiar. She allowed him to soak it in as she opened the blinds and left the door unlocked for those coming in behind them shortly, a secret message that they weren't as "closed" as the sign suggested.

"I honestly didn't know how much I missed this place," he muttered as she joined him at his side again.

"It's not the same without you here," she confirmed, running a comforting hand up his arm and offering a gentle smile. If the shop could talk, she had no doubt that it had missed its owner just as much as she had. "Welcome home," she muttered.

He nodded, but quickly took the box from her hands. "Let's get this over with," he breathed, guiding her back into the depths of the back room. But he didn't take the opportunity to admire it the way that he had the front room. Instead, he clearly only had eyes for one thing. He set the cane against the wall and moved them around the table, he glanced down at the trap door in the floor then glanced up into the cabinet, his eyes finding the tea cup settled in its saucer. He plucked it out, and turned back to hand it to her with a wide smile.

"I knew you would figure it out," he muttered, turning back to open the trapdoor.

She took the cool porcelain gently in her hands. "'The strength of our love,'" she quoted, staring down at the delicate object that had served as a key to guard the dangerous item. "No one but the pair of us would have been able to figure it out."

"Which is why I'm confident proper protection can wait until morning," he nodded. Maybe he was right. To the rest of the world it was just a tea cup, to them it was more. A chipped, broken cup-the strength of their love. The bell at his door chimed, signaling that the others had finally arrived. Without needing the prompt she set it out on the table, making it just another object in his collection and called out for the group. Baelfire, Regina, Emma, and Henry all stepped back into the small room.

"A hole in the floor?" Regina questioned in an unimpressed voice, laced with concern. "You think a hole in the floor is going to keep Pan safe?"

"Well, it's worked so far," he responded through gritted teeth.

"Gold!" Emma interrupted before a fight broke out and the delicate truce everyone seemed to have agreed upon could be broken. "Let's just do this."

With a heavy sigh, he turned back to the "hole in the floor". "Once I seal the box in here," he explained, setting it inside and replacing the trap door, "no one can break the spell but me." As promised, he held his hand out over the door and the same glittering magic that had led her to the door, revealed it to her, suddenly made it invisible. The metal handle, the lines on the floor, all vanished making it impossible to know there was something hiding beneath the unbroken floor.

"And you're not gonna do that," Henry half asked, half stated nervously as he watched.

"Believe me, I want Pan trapped just as much as you," he said darkly. No, not darkly, not exactly. For the first time she heard something in his voice that worried her, something faint she hadn't heard since Cora: pain. There was hurt buried somewhere beneath his voice. Something personal? Who was Pan, exactly?!

"Don't worry, Henry," Emma stated, unaware of the revelation she'd just had.

"He's not getting out of there," Bae added.

"We won't let anything happen to you again," Regina stated protectively. "I promise."

"She's right," Rumple confirmed, finishing the job and rising once more, "you needn't worry. As long as I'm alive, that boy will never see the light of day." She glanced down at the place the box was sealed. There was more to this than met the eye. She could feel it. But the time to ask wasn't around others. If there was something personal that had happened between them, he wouldn't want the others to know. It had to wait until later.

"I believe you," Henry replied, staring up at Rumple with a look that was almost a glare.

"Course you do, kid," Emma said, patting him excitedly on the shoulders, trying to change the mood she imagined. "Now, how 'bout some real food. Something you don't have to pick or roast over an open fire," she questioned as she and Regina, satisfied, led him from the room. Only Baelfire hung back.

"We're all going to Granny's to celebrate. You can come, if you want," he explained.

"I think we'll be fine right here." Rumple smiled then held out his arm as a silent invitation for her. She didn't even give it a second before she moved back to his side. Unburdened by the cane and box, he was finally able to put his hand around her waist, pull her against him, and press a kiss to her temple before loosening that grip and giving her back a little rub. He'd told Ariel he loved her. He was smiling, happier than she'd ever seen him in her life. He kissed her in public. And now in front of his son?! What had happened to this man?

"What about the cure? For David?" he asked the a tone that convinced her that was the real reason he'd stayed behind. Peter Pan. Neverland. Pain. Now a cure for David? She felt like she was learning something new by the minute. It was a lot to take in.

"Well, it shouldn't take me too long to conjure up something...but it will take time."

"Yeah, I know. Just don't forget about it, alright?"

Rumple nodded. "Top of my list, first thing in the morning."

Baelfire looked between them, a knowing glance that made her blush and press her cheek against his shoulder because she couldn't bear to look at Baelfire, or watch him looking at her knowing what was going through his mind. It was wonderful for him to be so insistent they spend the night alone, but she was trying to make a good impression with Baelfire. Did he have to use those words? They were suggestive even if they weren't! And she didn't exactly have Lacey's desire to flaunt their private life, especially in the face of his son. Wasn't there some other way to say it?

But as soon as Baelfire muttered "fair enough" and left the pair of them alone, she realized that was a conversation, a completely different one, to have later. The last thing she wanted to do right now was have a fight with him, or any kind of disagreement.

"What cure does David need?" she questioned as she heard the bell chime behind Bae.

Rumple sighed and released her, but only so he could look her in the eye and push a few strands of hair behind her ear. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen such admiration on his face before, it made her blush grow. "He was poisoned while we were in Neverland," he explained without a thought, "the same poison Hook tried to use on me in New York. He'll be fine for a little while, but I'm confident I can make something to cure him permanently." She swallowed, a terrible guilty lump rising in her throat as he reminded her of the poison...of what she'd missed.

"Ruby told me about that," she admitted, "I'm sorry I wasn't-"

"That is hardly your fault," he insisted, his fingers tangling in her hair and gently massaging the back of her neck.

"Well...you are okay now, aren't you?" she questioned, placing a hand against his chest, trying hard not to imagine it with a terrible wound.

He moved the fabric of his shirt aside and placed her hand against the whole skin in a meaningful gesture that made her guess that was where he had been pierced. "Not even a scar. And with you here now, I don't know how I could be better."

She smiled as the hand at her neck pulled her closer again. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to kiss him all night! Which was why it took all of her energy to push against his chest and separate them. If they gave in now, they might very well be lost until dawn and she wanted to be absolutely sure that was a choice neither would regret in the long run.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Are you positive the box can wait? The cure-"

"Belle..." he sighed, putting an end to her ponderings, as he looked her over. "The only thing I am sure needs to be done tonight involves only you and me. Everything else can wait until the morning. If we can't have a day, at least let us have tonight."

She didn't have the ability or the desire to fight with him anymore, to pull away or stop him. This time, when he pulled her forward, she didn't stop him, and their lips met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Gold seem different to you? If he does that's good, I tried to make him a little different here. Why? Because for the first time in hundreds of years he is done. Neal is alive. Henry is safe. Belle is at his side. What more could he want? What more could he have to do? I think in his mind he has it all for once and that is going to make him behave a little differently, with some different priorities than he did before. Right up until it all changes of course. But don't worry, that won't be for a few more chapters. You get some fluff before that happens. It's a reward, for doing so awesome with waiting for Rumple to return!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	29. Becoming Number One

She wanted to be closer to him, to throw her arms around her neck and go on kissing him for hours at a time. But when she tried to pull him closer, to touch his neck and hair, she found a high stiff collar in her way. His jacket. She'd nearly forgotten. He'd been dressed just as he had when she first met him, those first few days before he'd gotten comfortable enough with having her in the castle that he dressed without it. He always looked dashing to her, even then, but something about the jacket in this land, him dressed like that while they were as they were like this, just made her want to burst out in laughter.

She pulled away from him, but only so far as a few inches so she could look into his eyes. Instead of finding disappointment at her break in their kiss, she realized he was smiling as he looked back, and that made her break out into a happy grin herself. "I don't think I've ever see you smile this much," she observed happily.

"It's been a long time since I had something to smile about," he countered. It was an excellent point really. Why wouldn't they smile? When she'd woken up this morning she hadn't known he'd be holding her again. And who knew where he'd been or what he'd been thinking when he woke up. Had he known he'd be home? Or had he only thought one step ahead for the last week? There was so much to be happy about. He knew where Baelfire was and from the looks of it their relationship had developed well enough. He was with her again and they were better than they had been in a long while. Yes, it appeared he had everything he'd ever wanted and that was a lot to smile about. But his jacket wasn't. She wanted  _him_ back. Not the creature she'd known long ago that dressed like this out of fear the world would see who he was.

"These can't be comfortable," she said giving the high collar a gentle tug.

He nodded. "They don't exactly have fond memories attached to them." They both let out a soft chuckle at the words. Not because they were funny, but because whatever memories they contained were far behind them and there was nothing but happiness that awaited them. He leaned forward and swiftly pressed another kiss against her lips before releasing her and shrugging out of the jacket. "Can you get me my things? In the bottom drawer of that cabinet?" he motioned with his head, but he needn't have bothered, she could have guessed.

It was the same place she'd pulled her clothes out of when she'd escaped from the hospital, the drawer she'd found perfectly fitting clothes for Ariel, and now the suit for him: pants, shirt, vest, tie, everything, right down to a belt, socks, and shoes, even a jacket remarkably unwrinkled, and a handkerchief to tuck into the pocket. She was going to start calling this the clothing drawer and stop questioning whether or not it was enchanted. There was no doubt in her mind anymore.

She collected the carefully folded clothes in her arms and laid them out on table before him with a shy smile, then turned to check on his progress. She chuckled. There was no progress. The boots that were laced up to his knees appeared to be taking forever to unlace so they could be removed. Without a word, she stooped down to help. It took the pair of them ten minutes to get them loose to the point he could take them off, but once they were, and he began to undress, she was greeted with another strange sight that threatened to steal her breath away.

He didn't need his cane any more. She'd seen him without it since he stepped off the ship and realized he wasn't using it, but she hadn't seen the leg, his ankle, before this moment. She assumed he'd been using magic of some kind to ease the pain because he didn't want to use the cane any more but the truth was he really didn't  _need_  his cane any more! Where his ankle had once been deformed and broken, clearly unable to support the weight of his own body, it was now whole and perfectly functional, ordinary. And she couldn't help but stare, mesmerized at the new sight.

She would have thought it was a miracle, but she knew him too well for that. He'd done something, she just didn't know what. "How is that possible?" she asked as he worked his pants one leg at a time with an ease she'd never seen him possess before.

He glanced up at her then followed her gaze to the healed body part. "Neverland is a land run on imagination," he explained. "All I had to do was imagine that I was whole...and I was." Remarkable. It had been his suggestion, but not his own magic at all, that was even more outstanding. Her eyes glanced over to the useless cane leaning against the wall. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen him without it before, he'd been perfectly okay in their world, but she'd never seen him here without it. It was a good thing, but it was going to take some getting used to. Besides, it suited him in some strange way here. Happy as she was for him, she had to admit she might miss it a bit.

"And it's permanent?"

"Well...it's still magic keeping it this way. I always could use magic to ease it and I did in our world so as not to appear weak but here...I think I felt that I had to stay lame in some way. For Bae, because of...because of what I'd done. But now...there, in Neverland-"

"You didn't have to punish yourself anymore," she finished for him, understanding what he'd done even if he hadn't.

"Something like that," he muttered under his breath as he began to release the clasps of his vest and the top buttons of the undershirt. She wanted to correct him, to tell him that he never had to punish himself, it was in the past and he didn't need to worry about it but...what good would it do. It was in the past now, she couldn't do a thing about it! And besides, there were so many questions to be asked right now, so much that she wanted to know about that place, and Peter Pan, and what had happened while they'd been there...but if it were her that would be the last thing she would want to talk about right away. Instead, she silenced her curiosity and carefully folded each article of clothing he discarded then placed them all back in the drawer, where she honestly wasn't sure if they would stay or if they would vanish into thin air. The strange magic of the drawer was also something to be asked at another time.

Then she grabbed the jacket he'd pushed off, the one item that couldn't be folded and put away because of the tough material it had been made of. High collar, simple but strong design, heavily layered, just like the coats he'd worn in their world...just like him. An overwhelming sensation seemed to flow through her as she looked at it. Strange as it seemed, she wasn't sure she wanted to get rid of it, it seemed like a waste in some unknown way. She couldn't be sure of what had happened over there, but she felt like what had happened deserved recognition in even the smallest of ways. She thought for a moment, then an idea popped into her mind. In the main room of the shop she'd spotted a black mannequin behind one of his counters on a couple of occasions. Nothing had hung on it. It seemed to have been waiting for something, something special, like anything else in his collection. She knew exactly what to put there now.

She left him in the back room to finish up and walked through the curtain into the front of the shop. With her delicate precision, and Lacey's admiration of apparel, she fitted the jacket over the mannequin and stepped back to examine her work. Perfect. It wasn't gone, but it wasn't prevalent, either. Just another item in the collection. Just another memory that could fade into the background of his shop, but still be there when he needed the reminder...whatever it might be.

But she didn't have hardly enough time to admire her quick thinking before he walked out of the back room, shirt buttoned, but vest open, his tie hanging loose from under his collar, and jacket slung across his arm. "I like it there," he commented as he quickly turned his back to the windows and looked it over. She had to fight not to roll her eyes at the action. Heaven forbid anyone walking by simply glance Mr. Gold in anything less than a state of complete perfection!

"Thank you," she smiled, then moved over to him as he laid his jacket against the counter. "Nearly done," she muttered taking the ends of the tie in her hands. It was different. Undressing him was something she'd become incredibly good at and she'd watched and listened as he'd dressed in the morning too many times to count, but she'd never actually participated in it. It was intimate in its own way, in a different way. She felt like she was putting him back together again, helping to make him wholly into the man he'd been before the nightmare had started at the town line. They glanced at each other and smiled again.

"Where'd you learn to do this?" he asked, tapping a finger against her hands as they knotted the tie at his throat.

"Lacey," she explained quickly.

"Lacey..." he breathed as she fastened the buttons of the vest over the tie. In the week that had passed she barely thought about it anymore. Why bother? There were so many things that she knew how to do now, design clothes, drive a car, and now it looked like she could add knotting a tie to the list. They were all changes that he'd have to get used to as well. They'd both changed in the week he'd been gone. "We should probably talk about that. About everything that happened."

She smirked. There was a time she wanted nothing more than to talk about it with him, that had been only days ago, she realized, but however long ago it was, talking about it wasn't important to her anymore. What was important to her was standing in her grasp and she wouldn't let anything sour that. They'd talk about it someday, but not today, not now. "Some other time. For now, it's over and done. I'd rather spend time focusing on the present," or on whatever lay ahead...their future. She couldn't speak for him but for the last week nothing beyond this moment had existed. Whenever she's thought about the future it always started and ended with him coming home. Now that she had him back there was a vast ocean of possibility open to them, and she desperately wanted to look forward to that instead of dwelling on what was behind them.

She finished with the vest and smiled as he finally looked like the man she'd come to know. Nearly. In all the fumbling the tie needed straightening again, but loosening the knot and straightening the fabric before pushing it back into place was easy enough. "There," she concluded happily, "perfect."

"Thank you," he muttered through his proud grin.

"You're welcome," she liked it when he smiled. She liked it when he was happy. She liked it better when they were happy together, which she was certain they would be...no matter what came next. What would come next? She gave a happy sigh and spread her hands over his relaxed shoulders, did he know? "So," she began, "what happens now?"

She let her hands wander down his arms until they found their way into his. He gripped them tightly and she could have wept just from that simple act. How had she survived a week without him?! Without the perfect way her hands fit into his own? "Well, that's a question I haven't had to ask myself," he admitted to her, "I didn't think I had a future."

Of course he hadn't. His entire life had been leading up to a reunion with his son and fearing the "undoing" that the boy would bring him. He'd never wondered what would happen if the "undoing" never happened, if he went on living happily. "But you do," she reminded him, "the boy wasn't your undoing, and neither was Pan, so now you can stop worrying about prophecies and start thinking about your future."

He could do anything now. Anything. If he wanted to run the shop for his entire life he could. If he wanted to retire and live at the cabin he could. He could spend time with Baelfire, catch up on everything he'd missed, make amends, and strengthen the healing bond. He could do anything, be anyone, go anywhere...so long as it didn't take them beyond the borders of Storybrooke or away from her embrace again. Though, with all the time he had, if he wanted to make more of his potion so she could enchant her teacup as he had his shawl, they could explore the world together, just the pair of them. The possibilities were so vast it was overwhelming, even for her.

She watched as the options seemed to flash in front of his own eyes. There was no reason he had to choose now, they could talk about it, consider their options, and arrive at the best one together as it should be. "There's endless possibilities," she added, "countless paths to take-"

"But there's only one of those paths I'm interested in," he said quickly cutting her off before she could put his mind at ease. Of course he already knew what he wanted to do. He was a quick thinker, a natural born planner, she couldn't be entirely surprised that it would take him only seconds to map out his future. What she didn't know was what that future held.

"Which one's that?" she asked, almost nervously. Whatever he said, wherever he went, she'd be there. She just hoped there would be quiet moments like this down that road and they could leave the danger and plotting behind for a while.

"The one where you and I are together," he gently assured her. She felt tears pool in her eyes at the careful pronouncement. Her. With him. That was it? She was his plan! He and Bae, he and magic, he and power, he'd brushed her aside for so much in the past she didn't know how much it meant to be his first priority until he'd said the words. She'd never even allowed herself to think of that as a possibility! She would have been there no matter what, but now that she knew he wanted exactly what she did, she really didn't know what to do with herself, what to say, or how to react!

It was okay. She didn't need to. He seemed to know exactly what to do. He reached forward, placed his hands gently against her neck and pulled her toward him. She felt the tender brush of his lips against hers and happily kissed him back reaching up to let her fingers tangle in his hair, unwilling to let him go after so long. No matter what happened in the future, no matter where they went or what they did, so long as they had this, so long as they could still hold each other like this and kiss each other with this much passion, then they had a happy life to look forward too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But...but...but Treatian! What did you do?! They're supposed to-" Yeah, I know what the entire Rumbelle world thinks happened before this chapter. And I don't think it. Why? Two reasons really. The first is simply the evidence. I examined this scene a hundred times and they are not, as so many people think, in the back of the shop...but rather the front. Watch the scene again. That's the cash register in the background and at another angle the front door. The Dark One jacket is in fact hung up properly on a mannequin and on the glass case next to the pair of them...the suit jacket. They make be sans their jackets in this scene, but otherwise things are put together. To well put together for...well...that! Second, and I cannot stress this one enough...Rumple and Belle are not two horny teenagers. They do have some sense of decorum. And yes, while I do believe they probably partied hard on this night (next chapter ya'll) I don't believe he got back and they said "Yeah, let's do it right here in the shop I can't wait until we get home!" Totally not them. At least not in my opinion. So...deep breathes...next chapter will come and I hope ya'll won't be disappointed!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	30. Saving Stories For Later

She could feel that he wanted more than a kiss, that much was evident when they'd barely finished one kiss and they'd been swallowed up in a second as he let his hands trail down from her neck to her waist and wrap around her back. And he wasn't the only one, she wanted more too, but her realization came when he gently tugged her forward the last four inches or so and she had to wonder why they'd been standing so far apart! It was obvious, they both wanted more.

How could they not? They'd been separated too long not to want more than deep kisses, but not here, not like last time. Then it had been convenient, a terribly beautiful thing that had happened when Bae was dead, hope had been lost, and their lives were coming to an end. Time had been of the essence then. But this was different. This was a happy and special occasion; she wanted it to be happy and special not rushed or on a small cot. She wanted room to move in a large comfortable bed, nothing more than fine sheets between them, and the softness of their own pillows, but more than anything she wanted to be completely alone with him until mornings light.

It might seem like they were alone here, but in the back of her mind she knew they weren't, not anymore, even if Pan was sealed in a box under the floorboards of the room he was still there! She hoped that eventually she'd forget about that fact, but it would take time and for now the shop no longer seemed as private as it once had.

She pulled away as he gave another greedy tug to pull her closer, which she was certain wasn't possible. If she didn't put a stop to it now, it would be hard to stop at all. The long way home would be difficult enough, even though she knew it would be worth it. "Let's go home," she insisted laying her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him once more. The best of both worlds. They weren't apart, but they also weren't giving in…yet.

He was quiet for a moment, enough time for her to assume he was catching his breath. She could feel his heart racing in his chest as the grip he had on her only tightened. The ride home might be more difficult than she thought! "The apartment, a bed, will be a welcome sight after the last few days," he finally breathed against her. She smiled again. Of course he'd assume that she meant her apartment, she hadn't had time to tell him yet the adventure that  _she'd_  had over the last few days.

"We can't go back there anymore," she informed him with a small shake of her head. The grip he had on her loosened suddenly and she pulled herself off of him to observe a quizzical look that begged her to elaborate on that remark. It would come, with time, they'd get each other caught back up again, but now was not the time for long drawn out stories, just quick explanations. "Ariel needed a place to stay so I gave her the apartment." He looked at her with a strange gaze. Not quite angry, but certainly upset, maybe even frustrated with her.

"And where exactly were you planning on staying?" he asked sourly. His opinion of her helping others before thinking of herself first obviously hadn't changed. That was fine, some things wouldn't. Some habits would continue to make him endearing to her no matter how irritating they sometimes were.

"Where I've been for the last two nights," she whispered. "You're house. Home." The small tense lines on his face disappeared into a wide smile as the words sunk in. And before she had time to go on he'd leaned down to kiss her again, holding her tighter and tighter every second. Those words were all it took to make him happy again. Why wouldn't they be? They were both right back where they belonged…or at least they would be if they could ever leave the shop. If they didn't break apart now, then they might not ever, and she wanted desperately to go home with him, to not be in this shop, or even town. The privacy of their own home that was what she wanted. With any luck he would too.

"Home," she whispered, between breaths pushing lightly against his chest, "now!" He kissed her again, something small and chaste shadowed by his smile, but then obeyed, releasing her immediately and following after her as he always had. They quickly put their jackets on, locked the store, and walked arm in arm down the street to where he'd parked his car.

The drive home was comfortably quiet and wasn't nearly as difficult as she thought it would be, probably because he couldn't seem to stop touching her. Ever since he'd stepped off the boat he'd kept her within arm's reach, holding her hand, keeping an arm around her waist, even openly giving her a kiss on the head in front of others. She'd never seen him drive with less than two hands firmly fixed on the steering wheel, but just as he had when they'd rushed off to the dock last week, as soon as they were clear of Main Street he reached for her hand and let her hold it between her own in a mound of fingers set upon her knee. He'd always been affectionate, but never this much and never in front of others. It was different, but it was a kind of different that she like. It was a kind of different she could get used to. It was a kind of difference that she had to admit might have taken root in her as well.

When he parked the car they both got out as soon as they could and she walked around to meet him so fast she practically ran, the brief separation simply too much! So was it him that didn't want to stop touching her, the other way around, or maybe both? He didn't seem to mind, but he did seem to like the change as well. She caught the smirk that curved his mouth as she threaded her hand through his arm again and they walked up the stairs to the front door. So she wasn't the only one feeling this way! It wasn't permanent, she knew that, but for now it was clear they wouldn't be separating for quite some time, it simply wasn't possible. And, when she shut the door behind them, she couldn't find a reason to care.

"You really have been staying here," he said amazed as he looked around and inspected the dust free crevices, tidy rooms, and observed the sewing machine she'd unpacked on one of the tables only a night before.

She nodded as she checked to be sure the door was locked. "Ever since Ariel told me you were alive. I had to do something while you were away," she explained as he examined the pristine table by the door. "Are you hungry? I could-" but before she could finish her sentence she found his arms wrapped around her waist again as he pulled her back to him before she could wander away. But his face wasn't happy as it had been only moments ago. It was sad, worried. No, it was guilty. The emotion was etched deep into every line and groove on his face like a deep scar.

"I'm sorry I burdened you like that," he whispered knocking his forehead against hers, his voice wavering painfully. "I shouldn't have left you alone and let you think..."

She swallowed as she pulled away and looked at him. She didn't need to question what he'd "let her think" she knew exactly what he was talking about, but she supposed that if they had to do it over again she'd change nothing. If she hadn't been here who would have cloaked the town? If she hadn't been here who would have retrieved the box? They'd discussed it only hours ago, no one but the two of them would have understood that message or the significance of their cup. The separation was painful, but it had all worked out in the end. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She would change one thing, that terrible feeling that she was doomed never to see him again, seeing all the light and hope, the future, go out in his eyes. She would happily leave that behind.

"Just don't do it again," she requested. "Ever."

He nodded then kissed her forehead and took a deep breath, she could feel the muscles of his back ease as his hands came to rest at against her neck. "I don't want to be away from you," he whispered against her skin.

"Then don't be," she responded easily enough. There was no reason to be apart...not for a very long time.

They spent a few seconds in quiet acknowledgement and preparation of what was to come, touching hair and shoulders as they gazed at one another. Then, after what felt like eternity, she felt his lips brush against hers. She forgot words, she forgot life, she forgot about where he'd been, or what had happened, all she needed in that minute was him. His hands moved against her sides and her arms wound around his neck, she wasn't even aware they had taken steps until she felt the wall pressed against her back. The bang they made caused them both to pull away a couple of inches to glance at each other with smiles on their faces. They'd both longed for the oblivion the other offered in the last week, she could feel it.

"We have a lot to talk about," he informed her, with a look of regret and worry that she might put a stop to their evening in favor of the truth.

He wanted to talk. It was a good thing, her heart could have rejoiced! But she had no intention of letting that happen tonight. What she wanted from him after all this time was not words. For now she just wanted it to be the two of them. Words and stories and experiences would come later.

"Can it wait until morning?" she whispered back, pressing her mouth so close to his that their noses brushed.

"It can," he muttered, looking at her like he was mesmerized.

"Then can we go to bed now? Please."

He smirked. "Indeed we can."

He managed to pull another kiss, or two, or three, from her lips before she had the strength to reach for his hand. She led the way, or attempted to, at least. It seemed like every two or three steps he stopped her pulled her back to him and kissed her again and again, time after time. It wasn't until they were nearly at the top and he did it again that she had to mutter against his mouth that if they kept it up it would be morning by the time they reached their destination. So, he released her and allowed her to continue to pull him up the stairs and into their bedroom, the one they hadn't shared since she'd left the house.

The second the door was shut behind them he pulled her back into his arms and began kissing her again. Not feverishly, not hurriedly, but slowly. The kind of kissing that happened when they had all the time in the world. It was the kind of kissing that should have required candlelight, a fine dinner, soft music, and lingerie. She couldn't do anything about the first few requirements, they were beyond that point, but the lingerie she had. The lace gown that Lacey had created was one of the things she had brought here with her when she moved back in, thinking it would be a shame to waste it and that she could certainly find an appropriate time for it. Was now that time?

"I could," she gasped between breaths, "put on something a little more comfortable."

He shook his head and began rolling the pink jacket off her shoulders, "I'm just going to take it off the moment you put it on," he muttered before pressing his mouth against hers again. It was a fair argument and she sighed against him and allowed him to pull her closer.

Though it was dark, though they hadn't been in this room together for nearly a month, they found the bed with eyes closed. They lay out in the middle of the mattress, taking the pillows from both sides and piling them against the center of the headboard before reclining among them as they continued to kiss mouths and necks and bodies. There were no designated sides tonight, they just didn't need them. There was no intention of being separated from each other until the next day called.

They couldn't get enough of each other. It was familiar, but it was also different thanks to his newfound mobility. They unbuttoned and unzipped, pushed and shoved. They stripped each other of the scars and the adventures the week apart had brought, and covered each other with lips and hands. They allowed themselves to touch, to feel, to ease and tense against each other. They created a space where the world dissolved around them. The memories of the town faded away with every kiss, Neverland was erased with every grasp, and if they were smiling before, they were absolutely beaming now.

They moved together just as gently and perfectly as they had when she had first come back to him what seemed like an eternity ago. And they spoke the only words that truly mattered, the only words they wanted to hear: "I love you". Over and over they repeated it, passing the phrase back and forth between them until the world spun and they couldn't speak coherently anymore through gasps and sighs. Until they didn't need the words, only the motions and feelings they'd stirred to speak for them. They were together again, just as it always should be, they were finally whole and complete. And for one brief moment, a small flicker of light, she was sure, everything was perfect.

Finally, he muttered the last "I love you" before kissing her and shifting them so that he lay against the mattress. He was right next to her, their arms touching and fingers still tangled together, but it was still just too far for her especially after all that had happened. She pushed herself up and climbed on top of him so she could lay her head under his chin and hook her arms under shoulders in the closest thing to a hug she could manage given their position. "I don't think I have the energy for more," he informed her, a peaceful grin evident in his voice.

She smiled and pressed her lips against his chest, before glancing up at him. "I don't need more," she corrected. "I just need you. I just want to hold you for a while before we sleep, so when I wake up in the middle of the night I know you're here." His arms obediently wound around her and hugged her to his chest. She burrowed as close to him as humanly possible, nuzzling and nesting, so that she could touch as much of him as she could.

"I can't hold you closer than I already am," he pointed out as she squirmed.

"Sorry, I know," she muttered settling down, not bothering to hide the smile he'd brought back to her life and ignore the nerve endings that were still jumping and sparking between them. "I can move if you need to rest-"

"The only way I can rest tonight is if you're close by," he whispered sleepily against the top of her head. Finally they lay still. She felt like for the first time in a week she was truly relaxed and perfectly content. She felt the rise and fall of his chest, listened to his heartbeat, and was nearly brought to tears when she felt the familiar touch of his fingertips make their routine brush strokes up and down her spine as if nothing had changed. This was how it should be, how she wanted it to be, for the rest of their lives.

Now it could be. A future. For the pair of them! What would that entail? What did it mean? Love? They already had that, had more of it than she felt like she could contain sometimes! She'd once thought, when she'd been living with him after the curse broke that it wasn't possible to love him any more than she did in that moment. She was wrong. She loved him more now than she did then, she'd love him more tomorrow than she did tonight. And she'd love him in the future as they were now...only she didn't want it as she had it now. Not forever, she realized. She wanted something more, something different.

She felt her heart race as a thought she'd never had before pushed its way into the forefront of her mind, a thought she'd always known about and always had to consider, just never with him. It had never been something she wanted before, but she did now, she wanted it! And it was a remarkable change for her! No, she didn't want it this very minute, not tomorrow or the day after, but she did want him to know about it, wanted him to know that it was something she was comfortable thinking of again. It was something she wanted to be more than just a thought. Eventually. In their future...

"Rumple," she whispered, pulling him back to her before he could fall asleep. If she didn't say it now, she wasn't sure when the chance to tell him would ever be this perfect again, if she'd ever have the courage to bring it up! "Rumple," she muttered, picking her head up off his chest and glancing over at him. "I want a new name," she confessed.

He furrowed his brow and looked at her confused, sleep still hanging over his eyes. He was tired, she could see that. And she'd be happy to let him sleep in a minute, just after she'd finished. "Lacey...?"

"No," she corrected gently. "No, not a name like that. I don't want to just be 'Belle' anymore. A want another name, a family name like everyone else in this world. Like you..."

He was silent for a moment, but looked suddenly awake as confusion came and went from his eyes again. "You're last name here would be 'French'," he pointed out quietly. No. It wasn't...well, it might have been but she'd never used it! And she wasn't planning on using it considering the current state of the relationship with her father but that was beside the point. The comment was useless, made of idle words. He was distracting her. He knew what she wanted, that it wasn't about her name, or any name for that matter, but she could see the fear in his eyes, feel the tension in his arms. He thought he knew what she was talking about, but he didn't want to take the great leap and guess wrong. Or worse, get excited for something only to have her hurt him when he realized he was wrong.

But he wouldn't get hurt. She wouldn't do that. In fact, she felt as though she was the one at risk for being hurt if he didn't think anything of her request, or dismissed it. "I want your name," she clarified, her voice some how working around the nervous lump in her throat.

"Gold?" he finally questioned timidly. It felt like it had taken him forever to reach the conclusion. Long enough for her gut to twist into knots. She nodded, hoping he really did see this wasn't just about a last name. "You want to get married?"

"Someday...yes," she confirmed, relieved that he'd caught on. In hindsight she probably should have just said it instead of tip-toeing around it. She'd wanted to ease into the topic, but there really was no good way to do that, it was easy enough to see by the look on his face.

The words seemed to shock him. She could remember times when he'd said the wrong thing around her, when he'd stuttered and chosen words carefully, but she honestly couldn't ever remember a time that she'd made him speechless like this! Suddenly he sighed and settled his head back against his pillow looking at the ceiling again and smiled perfectly calm as he began to rub her back again and she placed her head back on his chest. "I thought I was supposed to be the one that asked you," he muttered into the dark, almost sounding disappointed.

"You still can," she pointed out. This was a talk about intention not about making plans. "We're just talking about it, like anybody should."

"That's a big step to take, Belle" he whispered. "For you...for me-"

"No," she sighed, smiling at the concept. She hadn't meant to argue, or belittle it, the thought had popped into her mind and left her mouth before she could think about it! But now that she did, she was surprised to find that it was true. Maybe it was a big step for the rest of the world, but not for them. Not after all they'd been through since the first time she'd met him. "Deciding to go back and kiss you, that was a big step. Telling me the truth about Baelfire and the curse, that was a big step. The town line, Lacey, Neverland, deciding to move back in with you, those were the big steps, but this?! We're already bound to one another, connected, you said it yourself, compared to everything else, it would be a smaller step," she confessed.

He was quiet for a long time, but she wasn't worried. It was a little step but she could also understand that she'd caught him off guard and that it was something that made him nervous. Knowing what he'd gone through in the past, knowing what he'd been through in his previous relationships, she didn't expect him to answer her now, didn't even expect him to agree with her that wasn't the reason she'd told him. She just wanted him to know, just wanted him to get used to the idea, to give him the opportunity to know that he was wanted in that way again.

"Belle?" he questioned against her quietly. She fought to stay awake now that she'd said it, now that his hand was on her back and she was resting perfectly against him where she always would belong. But she managed to give a soft noise, letting him know that she was still awake, still listening. "Someday...if I asked you to marry me...if I asked, you'd say 'yes'?!" he whispered, his voice sounding more astounded by the proclamation than curious about her answer.

She tried not to over do it, to contain her excitement so he wouldn't get so nervous he wouldn't sleep that night. Instead, she smiled and did her best to be as close as she possibly could be to him. This was comfort. This was perfect peace and happiness. She wanted them to always be like this, to always have this...and more.

"Yes," she whispered against him. "I'd say yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay before you get angry and decide to kill me just give me the opportunity to explain! Rumple proposes to Belle later in the season and to me something about it just seemed...off. Or, maybe not off, but just...expected. The way he asked with that coy smirk, the way she smiled, the way she answered like she'd been waiting for him to say that for centuries. It just seemed like getting married was something they had discussed and now was the perfect time for them to have a conversation like that. I don't think it takes away from that moment they get engaged. I think that it actually matches Belle's personality. She's progressive, nowadays it's odd if a couple doesn't talk about getting engaged before they get engaged. The idea that Belle would be the one to say "hey let's do this some day"...I kinda like it.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	31. Not Even a Day

Finally! After a week of fearful, sleepless nights, of waking every few hours to horrible nightmares, falling asleep on a couch, on the floor, at her sewing machine...she finally awoke to a happy discovery. She had slept through the night! It wasn't long after their final, hopeful conversation about what the future might hold for them that she finally gave into her exhaustion and curled back up into him as she always had before he'd left. His chest had served as her pillow, rising and falling rocking her to sleep, and his arms as her blanket. He held her against him tighter than he ever had before and together they drifted off into a peaceful sleep. No nightmares, no dreams even! The only thing that had disturbed her from her slumber was the morning light pouring into their room through the windows.

They both saw it, both knew it was morning, and that they were awake, but still they stayed right where they were. His hand was making its familiar soothing path up and down her back and while she'd always loved the motion she'd never been as grateful for it as she was this morning, or the beat of his heart, or the easy expansion of his breath filling his lungs. They knew they'd have to get out of bed eventually but there was no reason not to savor these precious moments the borrowed seconds brought. The day would start soon, and they would need to go into town. But she was determined not to move until "soon" came.

"Last night was the first time I really slept since you left," she commented tightening her grasp around his waist. And for the first time all week she felt like she had energy, that it was pulsing through her veins. Finally the day ahead of her didn't seem overwhelming, she didn't feel like she had to take her life hour by hour and survive it. "Rest is a beautiful thing," she sighed happily. Though, she suspected that his presence by her side contributed to her renewed spirit far more than her sound slumber.

" _You_  are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he muttered against the top of her head before kissing her again. She'd lost count of the number of times he'd done that since he got home. It was like he was trying to make up for the lost time...she never wanted it to stop, even if his comments did make her blush.

"You only say that because it's first thing in the morning," she commented, giving a content sigh and hugging him tighter against her. "You've nothing to compare me to yet."

"I've seen thousands of mornings, millions of sunsets and sunrises, mountains and valleys, great kingdoms and small islands. I have a lot to compare it to, and yet your beauty in the morning, just when you've woken up, is more stunning than anything I ever have seen in any realm or anything I ever will see for the rest of my life. It takes my breath away each and every time."

She beamed and dropped a kiss against his heart so he wouldn't see the red deepening in her cheeks. As many times as she'd been told she was beautiful, by as many people, to hear him say it still made her heart flutter. But she doubted it was her beauty he loved this early in the morning. It was theirs, the beauty they created from their closeness. He liked it best when she clung to him like this. She knew it because she liked it too. It was the fact that for a few blessed minutes they could hold each other safe and secure in their own private area without world breaking in with prying eyes. And it appeared that after Neverland the desire to have more moments like this had only grown. Perhaps that was why they were both still unwilling to move long after they knew they should have.

"Are you sure it's not just the fact that I'm naked?" she joked, pulling the blankets that had drifted over his belly in the night up across his chest again to preserve the warmth.

She could feel his mischievous smile blooming across his face, there was no need to look. "It's not...but it certainly doesn't hurt your cause."

She laughed, pushed herself up on her elbow to kiss him, then quickly took her place by his side again, laying her head flat against his chest as if she'd never left. If she stayed away from that spot too long it would be permission to end their glorious time together and she just wasn't ready for that yet.

It wasn't fair. They should get a week. They should get a month after everything they'd been through. At the very least they should be allowed to stay one day in bed, focusing on each other and not the problems the world begged them to solve. It was selfish, she knew, but maybe selfishness was one of those qualities Lacey had given her a new appreciation for. Could it be another quality of Lacey's to add to her growing list: boldness, talent, acceptance, and selfishness. After all, would it really be that bad to demand something for herself, for them, every once and a while?! There were times to be selfish, weren't there?! Times when she might have to take what she wanted because what the world would give her would never be enough.

The world. The one outside these walls. Her heart sank at the thought. Maybe there were times to be selfish...but this morning was not one of them. The box needed more protection. There was plenty of catching up to do with Bae. She wanted to know what had happened in Neverland. But most importantly, she knew, David needed a cure. It could wait a day, she supposed, but he shouldn't have to. If it was her, if it was him, she'd want that cure in hand as soon as possible. David had a right to that same peace of mind, even if it was at their expense.

"We don't even get a day," she muttered sadly. She hadn't meant for the words to come out of her mouth, but she knew by the sigh he gave afterwards that she wasn't the only one thinking them. He had been too.

"I know," he confirmed. "But someday we'll get a day, maybe we'll even get two," he added rubbing a bit of skin on her shoulder in a reassuring kind of way. It wasn't enough.

"And there will always be something else!" she rebutted in a depressed voice.

"It won't always be that way."

"It seems like it will be," she sighed. It seemed like every time they got closer in some way something came between them. Sometimes it was him, sometimes it was her, or a family member. Sometimes it was a different realm. But no matter what it was she always hated the separations.

"Belle," he whispered suddenly, the hand he had around her coming to a stop on her waist. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything," she muttered with a happy smile. Hiding his dagger. A cloaking spell. Pandora's Box. Hadn't she already proved that she'd do anything for him?!

"I want you to come spend the day with me in the shop."

Her eyes widened and her smile disappeared at the request. Normally she would have been happy at such a suggestion, she would have been happy he'd invited her into his space for the day, that he made it so obvious he wanted her around, and frankly it wasn't so outlandish, she'd been planning on spending the day there with him anyway and she secretly thought that the pair of them were going to be inseparable for a few days, maybe even weeks. But there was something in his tone that she didn't like. She knew that voice and she knew the reason behind it. Panic. He didn't think she was safe, and the only way he was convinced he could keep her safe was to keep her close. There was a reason for that, but she didn't know what it was.

Yet. She didn't know what it was, yet. Certainly it was something residual left over from Neverland because he hadn't had any time to get into trouble since he'd been back. But she didn't know yet what exactly had happened in that land. She didn't know what could be worrying him.

She propped herself back up on her elbow and looked down at his frown and furrowed brow, confirming her suspicion. Worry. She knew it! "Why?" she asked "What's wrong?"

"Maybe nothing," he answered.

"That also means maybe something," she countered.

"It's just a precaution. It'll put my mind at ease," he assured her as he played with the skin on her back and ran his fingers through her hair. She reached out, grabbed the hand against her neck and pressed it to her lips. She knew it might seem strange, considering what they were talking about, but they weren't downplaying what was going on. They had just been apart too long not to touch each as they spoke. Still, the gentle interactions would have been more beautiful if the unknown didn't hang in the air between them.

"Tell me what happened in Neverland," she insisted finally, the question she'd been wanting to ask since he got off the boat finally hovering in the unused space. They'd ignored it as long as they could, given themselves a night as he'd requested, waited until morning as she promised. It was time to talk. Wasn't it?

He paused for a moment, then shook his head and reached out for her again. "There's too much to tell it all in one morning," he said as he pulled her down against his chest again. "But if you come with me for the day I'll tell you all I can."

She nodded against him, silently agreeing to the proposal. Second best to the day in bed was the day at his shop as he divulged secrets to her that she knew he'd never tell another soul in all his life. This morning? This afternoon? What was the difference? She'd let him tell her about Neverland, but she secretly hoped that she'd never have to listen to another story again. She hoped that when the next crisis or adventure came along she didn't have to listen to the stories that came afterwards. When the next adventure knocked on their door, she was going to be right there with him. Next time she would experience the good, the bad, and the ugly right by his side.

"Next time I'm going with you on the adventure," she informed him absent-mindedly. Wasn't that what their small talks yesterday had meant?!

But suddenly she felt his arms tighten firmly around her; too firmly. "No," he whispered softly, his voice harsh and barely audible.

The word made her stomach turn and her nose wrinkle automatically. "No?" she questioned as she pulled away from him again to look him in the eye as he began denying her even the most hypothetical and vague futuristic events. He wasn't joking. He was being completely serious. He was telling her she couldn't go on the next journey with him and he meant it with every fiber of his being. "Why not?! Why 'no'?!" she asked sharply as he shook his head at her like she was speaking nonsense.

"Because I won't knowingly put you in danger like that," he insisted quickly. "Never. Not again."

She sighed and shook her head at the explanation. Unfortunately he was speaking from experience and she couldn't bring herself to be upset with him because of it. Given past situations his fear and over protective qualities made complete sense, but that didn't mean she was going to give into him. History taught her that whether she stayed or went she'd be in danger anyway and she'd rather get into it with him than without. She leaned down and kissed him swiftly as their hands tangled together again.

"You don't need to worry about that, Rumple," she muttered between breaths with a smile, "I get into danger quite well all on my own. Now, just let me take a shower and we'll go to the store for the day-" but as she attempted to get up the grip he held on her hand suddenly tightened and forced her to sit back down.

"Rumple," she was about to laugh at his joke when she got a look at his face and realized he wasn't trying to joke, or draw her closer again, or begin something they'd already finished. His eyes were closed against the pained expression that was painted on his face. He almost looked like he was about to burst into tears. "Rumple," she crawled back over to him and placed her hand against his cheek. It eased only enough for him to open his eyes and look at her again. "Rumple, what? What's wrong?"

He shook his head, grabbed her hand and held it against his lips. "I can't," he muttered. "I can't lose you...not again, not in anyway, not ever."

Guilt grew in her stomach as she stared down at him. She'd been trying to be funny and make a joke about herself and her special talent for getting captured...but he'd been expressing a real fear. It was foolish of her to assume it would have been okay after what he'd gone through: a fake death, a kidnapping, a pirate, and Lacey. As much as she hated to admit it, his fears were beyond well founded. But it still wasn't a reason to give into his request! He needed her. They needed each other. She understood that the only way to break the cycle was to stay together, and let nothing separate them again! He needed to understand that too. But it required a little more delicacy than she'd originally thought.

So with a gentle smile, she moved herself back up over him, let her arms fall around his neck and tangle in his soft hair as she kissed him for several long blissful minutes. This time, she didn't pull away until she felt his tense muscles ease and his arms press her closer against him, until she felt him kiss her back just as eagerly. She sighed happily when they broke apart and rested her forehead against his own, so close they shared the same ragged breath. This was what she'd missed. Bliss. Even if it was only a week, she never wanted to repeat it again for even a day. And, in her mind, there was no need to ever repeat it again. It was the two of them that cast the protection charm over the realms and the two of them that had gotten Pandora's box and helped to rescue Henry. If they'd done all that together in separate realms, then there was no telling what they could do hand in hand. Didn't he understand that?

"We're stronger when we're together," she whispered. "We're safer when we're side by side. And we're happier than most people ever will be when it's just the two of us. If we stay together then the world doesn't stand a chance and if we work together, then we'll never be apart again."

He stilled for a moment, as he took in her words, and just when she began to think she'd finally managed to calm him, that it was okay to get up and start their day, he rolled the two of them over, pinning her there beneath him. She would have laughed, but as it was all she could do was grin as he pressed his mouth against her own again. "What are you doing?" she asked happily enough, as if it wasn't completely obvious when he let his mouth trail down her neck.

"Working together," was his only response. But it came in the happy voice that told her she'd convinced him she was right. It was easy to lose herself in the moment, to forget what was going on, where they had to be, and what they should be doing. It was easy so long as he kissed her and held her as he was now. At least until the chimes from one of the clocks downstairs echoed softly through the bedroom door.

She pushed against his chest and he pulled away from her as she listened to the noise, automatically translating the time. Her heart fell. They would be late as it was. "We don't get a day," she reminded him sadly. She expected him to nod, to kiss her sadly, and tell her that it could wait for later.

But, instead, he shook his head and drew her closer against him again. "Maybe not," he confirmed, "but we deserve an hour or two."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did I tell you? Pure fluff. Fluff that had a serious conversation but also some really, really cute moments to it as well. I hope ya'll like it. You deserve it after hanging in with me for so long while Rumple was away.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	32. Creating a New Normal

They deserved an hour or two and they'd taken it. Whether or not they liked it, they both knew their time was coming to a close. They were sprawled out on their sides quietly looking at each other, playing with hair, touching shoulders, and cheeks, and necks, communicating feelings with silent gazes. Every now and then, one of them would move and they'd find themselves embracing again, until one of them pulled away to look at the other once more, each taking happy looks at the perfect sight of the other. After a week apart she couldn't say that she blamed them for just wanting to stare for a while, and wanting to be sure what they were staring at was real and not just a crazy hallucination or dream. Then again, how could it be a dream? If it was a dream their time would be endless and the clock downstairs would not be chiming every fifteen minutes, constantly reminding them of the time they were using!

He sighed when it went off again, looking her over sadly...defeated. "We should get out of bed," he suggested, moving some hair out of her eyes so he could gently stroke her cheek. "We'll have to go to town eventually, though I'd happily spend the day here with you."

"As would I," she smiled, "but I understand." This day might be a lost cause, but as he said earlier, someday they'd have a day to spend in bed, someday they'd have more than a day, but for now they had to get up and face the world. She nodded with determination, deciding that one of them had be the one to make the first move and it may as well be her. So she moved forward, sealed a lazy kiss against his heart that she promised herself she'd pick up later, and with that their time had finished.

"Don't kiss me!" she ordered sharply. "If you do we'll be having this same conversation in a couple of hours." And without another word or glance she released him and rolled away. She hurried into the bathroom and let the sound of the door shutting behind her sober her mind. But it wasn't until she had the water turned on that she realized how strange the action was. She'd gotten ready to go to town for the past two days, she'd watched him get ready for work before, but they'd never actually done it together. When she was living here she usually slept an hour more after he left the house before getting up. They'd never had to share the space like this. For a moment she hesitated, wondering if she should discuss it with him first and go over who took showers first and how to take turns in, but then stopped with her hand on the door knob.

Routines rarely needed sorting out, they simply fell into place and adjusted to the habits of others as needed. With any luck this, their routine, would do the same. Not to mention that if she went back out into the bedroom she knew what a simple conversation could become all too quickly. No, they'd have to figure it out, if not in theory, then in practice.

She took her shower, conscious that she had to share the hot water this time around, wrapped herself up in the bathrobe she'd kept on the back of the door, and folded her hair into a towel. He wasn't in the room when she opened the door again, but the bed was made and the door was opened so she could only assume that he'd gone down to find breakfast. So she took advantage of the fact that he wasn't there to claim the bathroom right away and do what she always did, dried her hair, pinned it back, and reached for her make-up bag so that she wouldn't take any more time away from him than necessary when he did return.

But as she pulled out the kit she'd used for the past few days, she came to a shocking realization. She didn't need it anymore! Or at least didn't need as much as she'd been using. For the first time in a week she didn't need to hide dark circles under her eyes, or add color to her pale face. She was well rested, her skin looked as though it was glowing, and her smile stretched ear to ear making her cheeks rosy as ever. Even her eyes seemed brighter, clearer. It was good to see herself in the mirror again. Her real self, not just a body with the face of a girl she hardly recognized. He'd actively argue against it, but if she ever needed proof that she needed him just as much as he needed her, it was staring her in the face right this moment. He made her better and healthy. He made her happy. What could be better than that?

Movement broke her gaze as he suddenly strode into the room behind her, back from where ever he'd wandered off to. He slowly slipped an arm around her waist and kissed the exposed skin where her neck met her shoulder, then, without explanation, released her and started the shower again as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, as if that kiss was the most normal thing in the world and he did it all the time. Her smile grew. Could the world be any more perfect?

Yes, it could. The growl in her stomach reminded her of that. As much as she loved him, there were other needs that needed to be met, and food was just as important as sleep. She left him to the shower and padded softly downstairs to make a bit of toast...and found a mug of steaming tea sitting on the corner of the counter waiting for her to retrieve it. He was just as thoughtful as he'd always been, perfect in every way, if only to her.

She ate her toast and drank her tea while she listened to the quiet hum of water rushing through pipes, the house coming alive again with both of them there. Her stomach filled quickly, another silent reminder of how little she'd taken care of herself this past week. She should have been able to manage a plum or something more substantial than just toast, but for now she felt like if she ate any more she'd burst. Maybe tomorrow she'd manage something more, work her way up to a healthy appetite. It shouldn't take too long, but it was still remarkable how much damage a week could do.

A beep drew her attention across the room to the coffee maker just as she heard the water shut off. Coffee, one of the habits that she hadn't kept from Lacey. She much preferred her tea in the mornings, but he'd always been a coffee drinker, or at least he had in this world. Finishing off her breakfast she pulled a mug from the cabinet, and just as he'd kindly gotten her tea made for her, she poured him a mug of the bitter smelling liquid. She didn't understand how it could have smelled so good when she was Lacey but terrible when she was herself, but nonetheless, she tolerated it as she carried it up the stairs to their bedroom.

He stood over the bed, vainly gazing at a suit he'd laid out, matching ties, threading cufflinks, hair still damp, towel slung around his waist...he was a sight to behold. Living at the apartment had definitely had its perks, sleeping late and being able to walk downstairs for work in a matter of seconds being the nicest. But she'd take a happy sight like this over sleep and a short walk any day.

"It's not nice to stare, dearie," he muttered in his playful mocking voice without even turning to glance over at her. She hadn't the slightest idea how he'd known she was there, she was certain that she'd been perfectly quiet. But then again, she was certain that she was radiating so much happiness he might have been able to catch the glow from her smile a hundred miles away.

"I can't help it," she muttered placing the mug on the dresser and wrapping her arms around his middle. "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she insisted honestly with a kiss against his shoulder blade. "I brought your coffee," she informed him quickly before he could come up with some kind of retort or argument against her comment. He thanked her and she disappeared into the section of the closet she'd claimed for herself, quickly putting something together that not only suited her, but made Lacey happy as well.

The pair of them moved around the room in companionable silence, flawlessly creating a type of intimacy that they'd never had in the space before. When she'd stood in front of the dresser, he'd gently placed his hands on her hips to move her aside so he could reach into a drawer. In return, she'd happily spun around and knotted his tie as she had the night before, stealing a kiss as she finished. And as it turned out, he was just as bad at "staring" as she was, only she wouldn't exactly call it "staring". It was more like gazing, maybe even admiring. Like he was enjoying these new found moments just as much as she was.

He watched her and they exchanged shy smiles every time she caught his glance and in some ways it reminded her of the way they'd been when they had returned to the castle, just after he'd given her the library. Those glances and small smiles had been unexplainable then, now she knew exactly what had been happening when neither had been aware of it. They'd been falling in love. The glances were the same now, but it wasn't because they were falling, it was because they were falling further, venturing into a place, a depth, they'd never been before. "The bond", as he'd once called it, was strengthening and their future solidifying.

It felt long overdue. She hoped moments like this lasted, that they had more of them before some other terrible evil stood in their way and took their time away, or worse pushed them apart again. He hadn't even been back for twenty-four hours and she already felt like they'd grown closer. She couldn't wait to see where they'd be in a week, or a month, or even a year and beyond...especially after last night's conversation.

He was out of their room by the time she put her shoes on. He'd placed a delicate gold chain around her neck and fastened it before slipping an arm around her waist, kissing her under the jaw, and telling her he'd wait downstairs. Lacey wouldn't have been pleased at this kind of a morning. She could practically hear the girl screaming in her head that she'd turned into an old married woman over night after nothing more than a pronouncement of some silly girlish dream! It wasn't worth it! She was still young, her best years were still ahead of her and she was really just going to settle down?!

But it was all too easy to put the girl out of her head with the joy that she felt this morning. If this was what settling down entailed, if this was what their future would look like one day, then she was ready for it. Without question.

She fixed her shoes and grabbed a checkered jacket for the weather. Then, finally, placed a hat over her hair and when she inspected herself in the mirror noticed a small mark on her neck from the night before. It wouldn't have been noticeable if her hair was down, but she'd already pulled it back. Fortunately, a simple tie of a scarf easily hid the evidence away from the world.

He was in the kitchen finishing off what looked like a piece of toast as she joined him. Strange. She'd assumed that he'd already eaten. So what exactly had he been doing when she'd been in the shower? "We'll need groceries," he commented as she walked in, distracting her.

She nodded in confirmation. She knew they needed groceries and started a list but with everything that had happened she'd never really gotten the opportunity to go and it hadn't really mattered anyway. Granny had fed her and with her having the appetite of a snail she'd easily survived on the little that he'd had around. It suited her, but it wasn't enough for two. "I can go today," she muttered.

"Go tomorrow!" he insisted. "We'll survive for a day or two."

She smiled recalling the promise she'd made that she would spend the day with him in his shop. She couldn't be positive about what had him so worried. Was it "nothing" as he'd suggested, or "something" as she'd argued? Did it matter? Nice as it was to be able to take the car and go to the grocery store whenever she wanted, she didn't want to be away from him at the moment. And if staying close by helped to put his mind at ease, then she would do so more than happily. Being near him put her at ease as well.

"Tomorrow," she amended.

He nodded happily at her comment and took a final swallow from his mug. "Here," she watched as he reached into his pocket and retrieved something for her before setting it in her hand. "You'll want these as well," he stated before suspiciously turning his attention to the dishes in the sink. She stared down at it, confused. Her key ring. The one she kept her keys for the library and apartment on...only those weren't the only items there, not any more. There were more. Four more to be exact.

Spares! He'd told her yesterday that his wasn't the only set available and he'd "fix" the fact that she didn't have her own. She hadn't expected him to remember though not without her prodding him! This must have been what he'd done, while she was showering, collecting these tiny treasures for her. The shop. The car. The house. And...one she didn't recognize.

"What's this one?" she asked, holding it up for him.

He glanced at her over his shoulder, then turned back to his task at hand still nervously avoiding her gaze...or maybe just feeling nervous about what he'd done, about what she'd think of the action. "The cabin," he answered quietly. She beamed as tears filled her eyes. He'd even given her one she hadn't asked for and that meant more to her than anything. Maybe they were becoming an old married couple. But was that such a terrible thing? Maybe she liked it. Maybe she liked being just like every other normal person in the world for once. Not the beauty and the beast, but just Belle and Rumpelstiltskin.

After all they'd been through in the last few months, maybe she liked taking a few minutes out of their morning to discuss something menial as groceries or laundry or keys...or even just a moment to realize that they were just as in love with each other today as they had been when the curse had first broken and that they always would be. She couldn't be positive, but she was fairly certain mornings like this, and moments like these were the stuff "happily ever after" was made of. And for a man who'd once confessed that he didn't think a happy ending was possible for him with a woman who'd always believed happy endings were over rated, she felt like it was absolutely extraordinary. But was he even aware of the miracle taking place?

"Rumple," she reached deep down for some of the boldness she'd had when she'd been Lacey and strode over to him. Placing herself between him and the sink, she pulled him into a deep kiss. He made a noise of surprise before he sighed and then gave himself over to her. He kissed her back and pulled her closer against him as he got caught up in it and when they finally broke apart, they couldn't separate completely. They just stood there, holding each other, breathing one another in.

"What was that for?" he finally whispered, his fingers rubbing small circles into her back. What was it for? She was having a hard time remembering. For loving her? For being a wonderful man? For how he'd kept watch over her as Lacey? For coming home? For giving her complete and unhindered access to his life? For making it their life? All of it?

"I love you," she smiled, finally settling on the best reason she had. "I just wanted you to know."

He smiled as he looked down at her before letting her head find his shoulder. "And I love you, too" he responded predictably before kissing her temple.

She never thought she'd be one of those women-the kind that was happy just to be with a man, to be able to hold him, touch him, and kiss him whenever she pleased. But now that she had that life, she wouldn't settle for anything less than the peace only he offered. There might have been darkness in him, but he brought light into her life. He may have been the Dark One, but in her hands he was tamed and gentle. If the beast only ever gave way to the man when he was with her, that would be enough. She kissed his neck. Once. Twice. Then gave him a couple small pecks on the cheek and mouth, her heart lifting when she saw the spreading smile that came from the small treasures of affection.

Lacey had once asked Mr. Gold if the two of them had been happy and he'd told her they made each other happy. It was easy to understand in a moment like this. Happiness radiated off of them so strongly she couldn't even begin to imagine where it had originated first, only that it was a part of them both. They were both thinking that they could stay in this moment forever and be perfectly content. But just because they felt like the only two people in the world right now didn't mean they were...and that irritating clock was never going to rest until it had reminded them of that! Every fifteen minutes. Right on the dot.

"The shop?" she questioned at the noise, running her hands up and down his arms and re-straightening his jacket and tie.

He nodded and leaned forward to take another small kiss from her. "The shop."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff. Well...I should say fluff with a purpose perhaps. I really did want to get those keys in her hand before the end of the season and this moment just seemed like the moment to do it. I know it seems like filler and not fluff, I mean, let's face it, in this chapter they are pretty much just getting ready for work...but I love this chapter. It's one of my favorites and I could read it over and over and over again. It's intimacy. And we don't get much of that from them on the show. I like intimacy and I really like showing it, especially with these two.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	33. A Disturbing Trend

When they let themselves inside the warm interior of the old Pawn Shop it was abundantly clear that their evening and their morning was forgotten and he had his priorities. He made his way immediately into the back room, leaving her to lock the front door and tell the world they were not open. When she followed him back, she found him kneeling by the place the box was sealed, his hand hovering over the hidden space with a look of extreme concentration on his face.

"Is it alright?" she asked, trying to keep her panic at bay.

"So it would seem," he muttered. In a flash, he rose from the floor, took off his jacket, and glanced around his work space with intent but also happy admiration. She knew that look; it was one she'd seen from her days in the castle. It was the look he got when he was making himself comfortable so he could get to work on a difficult task. It was determination. And concentration. And maybe even a little bit of confidence and pride. There was no doubt in her mind David would be perfectly fine. He would find a cure.

"What do you need?" she asked as she took his jacket and let it join her own on the hidden coat rack.

"Time," he answered quickly. Not a single word to spare, it was typical, and the familiarity of it made her smile.

"Anything else?" she asked. She wanted David cured just as much as Baelfire did and if there was anything that she could do to speed that process up, or make it easier, then she'd do it. Not to mention, if she could make it easier for him to tell the tale of Neverland as he worked, she'd do just about anything he asked. But instead of compliance, she saw that small muscle in his eye twitch at her question.

"Some days I think you forget you're not my servant anymore."

She couldn't help but shake her head at that remark. Since he got back she'd been so busy thinking about everything that had changed, she hadn't bothered to remember the things that hadn't. That scar, the irritation that buzzed beneath his skin every time he was reminded of their former relationship, of what she'd done, how he'd acted, how it had ended even...that hadn't changed. Probably, it never would, but she was certain that her desire to help never would either.

"I'm your caretaker. Taking care of you is my job," she informed him as he pulled a large black bag out and set it on the table. "Besides, I like doing it, feeling useful, keeping busy. Here or there I won't stop. It'll never change."

"The term 'caretaker' only ever applied to my estate." He had her. That was the deal they'd originally made. But if she recalled, only one of the jobs he'd given her, cleaning, had actually benefited his precious "dark castle". The rest had been to his advantage.

"You were in the estate," she countered, "and since that's no longer here, I have to work with what I have left."

He went still for a moment at her words, before a smile suddenly broke out over his face. "I'll never be rid of you, will I?" he asked, turning to glance back at her. The tone was half joking, but the other half was one of remarkable realization. It was about time he started to understand that.

"Never," she stated clearly, before happily kissing him on the cheek. "But we did make a deal," she reminded him coyly. She'd broken her own promise, never to deal with him again, but somehow, since he'd been the one to initiate the transaction she had the feeling that it would be different, this time around. With any luck, it would be different forever. "I'm here, in your shop. I'm not going anywhere, and you owe me a story."

"I do," he confirmed, but not nearly as happily as she would have liked. The words were full of pain, full of sorrow, and dark emotion. She had the feeling she'd missed more than she'd thought she had.

"Tell me what happened in Neverland," she prodded.

"It's a long story."

"I have all day."

"It's not a happy one. And I'm honestly not sure how much of it I'll be able to give you."

"You're stalling," she pointed out, reaching for his hand.

"I'm not," he muttered confidently.

"You are," she responded without hesitation. She smiled when he didn't reply. These tactics and excuses worked on others; they didn't work on her, not anymore. She very well may have been the only one in the world able to match him wit for wit, and that meant she couldn't just see through his smoke screens, she could get rid of them all too easily. She'd won and he knew it. "I'm not going anywhere," she muttered wrapping her arm around his back and moving closer. "You can't chase me away, and you can't make me leave. I'm going listen to every last word you say, and when you're finished, I'll still be here."

His grip closed tightly over her hand. "I can tell you anything," he whispered, but she honestly wasn't sure if he was reminding her, reminding himself, or just stating the obvious. Whichever it was, it didn't matter. All she really cared about was that it was the truth...and he knew it.

"Anything."

"There's a lot. I don't know where to begin..."

She smiled, the beginning, to her at least, seemed fairly obvious. She'd kissed him more times than she could count since he'd gotten back, certainly more than they usually did in a twenty-four hour period. But she found herself reaching forward to offer him yet another, hoping it would trigger the memory of the day he'd left last week...the beginning. "It starts where we left off," she muttered when she stopped. "I was already proud of you. And I am sure Baelfire would have been too."

The words helped. He was there with her, on that dock, she could see it in his eyes. The time line was in place, now all she needed was for him to take her on the journey. "You might want to make yourself comfortable in that case." His face, suddenly, turned emotionless, clinical. He turned away from her and began fumbling through his bag, pulling out vial after vial, giving his hands something to do. Ordinarily, she would have stopped him, made him sit down and tell her the story. But time was of the essence for David and she probably would have done the same thing if it were her. But instead of making herself "comfortable" as he suggested, she hovered by the table, giving him space but prepared to close the distance should he need it.

"We knew immediately he'd gone to Neverland. I tracked them there with a bit of blood magic. Hook had the last bean and getting there was as simple as tossing it into the ocean. We arrived, and I'm afraid that I can't be of much help filling in the blanks after that." The admission nearly knocked her off her feet. That was it?! It couldn't be! They arrived, and he didn't know the rest of the story?! The end?! Impossible! He hadn't been asleep the entire time. Something had to have happened in the space between!

"Why?" she questioned. "What...what happened?"

He sighed, they were barely an hour into the week, and she knew they'd already gotten to one of those difficult pieces when he paused his work, stopped fiddling with glass and liquid and eye droppers and hunched over the table like that.

"I left," he admitted with a sigh. "I have experience with Pan, with his island of nightmares, his cohort of brainwashed followers, and I didn't think they could do it. I honestly didn't believe they had the first idea about what to do when they made it to the island let alone how they were going to get Henry back and defeat Pan, so…I left to do it on my own."

She let out a breath when he finally began to pick up tumblers and tweezers again, absent-mindedly experimenting with his magic, his brain already automatically putting together possible combinations to cure David. Again she had to resist the urge to stop him. She just let him work, let the words fall from his mouth whenever they began popping into his mind. Sometimes silence was the only prompt needed.

"I wasn't much better on my own," he continued in a small voice. "I spent days wandering the island. Torn. Death is one thing to consider in the hypothetical and another beast entirely when you are staring it in the face when you're convinced that you are the price to paid for a great amount of magic. I wavered, unsure, changing my mind hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute. Reminders. Visions. Memories. Each unhelpful. All…equally tormenting. And the solitude! You'd think I was used to it, but the solitude was suddenly haunting all on its own."

He was working, diligently, and she was nearly thankful for it. With the bulk of his concentration on the story and his eyes on the table, he couldn't look up to see the tears swimming in her eyes. What would she have given to be there with him for that? To let him know that he wasn't as alone as he seemed? That it wasn't as hopeless as he had resigned himself to? Anything.

"Finally I got up the courage to do what had to be done, prepared myself for the worst inevitable outcome, and chose my path. I managed to locate Pan's camp, overtake a pair of his brainless cronies, but..." the light in his eyes changed suddenly, and this time he happily looked up to share part of the story with her. "He came back!" There was no need to second guess what he was saying. There was only one "he" that would have come back and put that look on his face.

"Baelfire."

"Yes, when Greg and Tamara shot him he'd disappeared through a portal, and we all assumed he'd died. He didn't. He'd gone to our land and when he found out where Henry was managed to get himself back to Neverland. It was an accident, but we ran into each other." Then his face fell again, and he made himself busy once more. "But the reunion was short-lived. He was gone before I truly got him back." More secrets, more to the story. He wasn't giving her details, merely summarizing what had happened. That was fine. For now, it would do and someday she would ask about those missing details. Someday she'd know what happened between their meeting and their departure, for now, all she wanted to know was what had caused it.

"What happened?" He hesitated. This story was not as straight forward as she'd wanted it to be. She could see it was like torture just having to go over it all again and could only imagine what it had been like to actually live the tale. But she needed to know, and if he'd been alone for as long as she thought, he needed to tell her. He'd never healed from anything by keeping it bottled up, telling her had always been therapeutic in some way...for both of them. "Rumple, why did he leave?"

"Pan!" he snapped, his hands balling into angry fists. "Pan informed him of the prophecy."

Her heart fell. She should have guessed. In some part of her mind, she'd worried that it was bound to happen but hoped it would be revealed under better conditions, not in the middle of a crisis. Of course, he had left. After she'd gotten her memories back, she knew the danger that he'd posed to Henry while she'd been Lacey. Her encouragement of it still made her sick! Baelfire's response to protect his son from his father was completely understandable.

"He didn't trust you," she assumed.

"Not around Henry, no. He didn't believe that I truly wanted to help, to save Henry. He only wanted to believe that I was there to kill Henry for good and save my own skin. What's worse is I can't say I blame him. I wasn't even convinced that I wanted to help, not until that moment. But, I'm..." he couldn't seem to find the words, but she understood the emotion. When his determination was questioned, it only made him more determined. And with Baelfire back in the picture, that determination would have turned into something more.

"Stubborn?" she offered. He nodded as he hung his head, defeated, the toll the adventure had taken on him suddenly clear.

"I had to get him back, Belle. I'd lost him one too many times. Saving Henry was the only way to prove to my son that I had good intentions. And if dying was the only way, then..."

"You would have done it," she muttered confidently. It hurt to say the words, to imagine what would have happened if he'd gone through with it, but she knew how much he loved Bae, how much he wanted Bea to love him back, and forgive him after what had happened. If death had been the price of his son's affections, he would have paid it a hundred times over. "But you didn't have to," she reminded them both as her throat tightened. "You're still here, with me. Why?"

"Regina found me. Apparently, the others were having just as much luck as I was and she was tired of waiting. She got me to look at things from a different point of view, found a loophole to avoid my terrible fate."

He was with Regina; this was the part of the story she knew. "Ariel? The box?"

He nodded. "The entire time I'd been assuming that when I killed Pan, when I sacrificed myself, Henry would be free. She reminded me that death wasn't the only way to defeat a person, eternal imprisonment worked just as well." A method of the Queens she was all too familiar. But she wouldn't dare mention that to him now; it wasn't important at the moment. What was important was that in this case, Regina's method had saved his life. And it was a debt she'd never be able to pay. "She knew the mermaid. We sent away for the box, that part you know, and when it returned we sought out the others with a plan in mind. Baelfire still didn't trust me, neither did the others once they found out about the prophecy, but we managed to work through it, do what was best for Henry, and prepare for war.

"We found Wendy. She knew Baelfire. He'd been sent here as a boy, The Land Without Magic, just as I suspected. Her family took him in, adopted him as their own..." She could see the pain on his face just thinking about the fact that someone else had done the job he was meant to do for him. He didn't know whether to be grateful, or jealous, or guilty. He didn't know he was allowed to feel all of that. "Bae had apparently sacrificed himself for one of Wendy's brothers when the shadow sought them out, and in return Wendy followed after, hoping to rescue him, only to be made prisoner herself.

"However, the miraculous thing about rescuing her was that she had learned all of Pan's plans, far more than I'd ever conceived. She knew why he needed Henry. He possessed the heart of the truest believer, something he desperately needed to stay alive. With Henry's life in danger, we set out immediately. When we found them, he already had Henry alone in a cave." He stopped working again, his eyes were distant, dark, his hand balled up into fists so tight she was worried he'd shattered the glass in his hands. "I took the box, intending to trap Pan as planned, but..."

The pain on his face was too much for her to bear, the distance between them was too great. She moved closer, placed her hands over his own, and felt them automatically soften at her touch. Selfish as it was, as much as she'd been against it earlier, David could wait. He'd managed this long, he could manage a few more moments until he'd finished spinning the tale for her and he'd gotten it all out, until she understood what had happened and could help him recover properly. There were times to be selfish, as Lacey had taught her, this morning hadn't been one of them, but this was.

"But what?" she encouraged after a moment of silence. Enough time to wrap his mind around what he was thinking but not enough to shut down, it was all the time he needed.

"He tricked me!" he muttered in that same tense and spiteful tone he'd used to disclose Cora's betrayal. It worried her. Cora's betrayal hadn't just been one of the head; it had been one of the heart. It had scarred him, hurt him. Pan's had the same effect! There was something more to the boy, some connection that he wasn't disclosing. "The power of imagination I used on my leg he used on the box. He took the real one from me and trapped me inside." Her jaw dropped as tears she'd managed to fight back so far threatened to spill over. He'd been inside the box! He'd been the one trapped within the legend! After all, she'd done to help him, after all, she'd done in the castle to keep him from such a terrible fate, he'd ended up inside of it anyway! That was pain beyond what she had been prepared for. Possibly the only consolation to knowing that was seeing him stand before her, knowing that the one meant for that prison was safely tucked away under his feet right this moment.

"But you're free!" she reminded him. "How did you-"

"Bae," he interrupted with a sudden smirk, the life and color flooding back into his eyes. "He freed me. When he released me from the box we were back on Hook's ship, Baelfire believed me again, and Henry...wasn't nearly as safe as we would have hoped.

"Pan snuck into the ship, and when he learned Regina had cast a spell to prevent Pan or anyone else from ever getting to his heart, he attempted to kill Henry in revenge, rip his shadow from his body. But Pan was distracted enough that he didn't see me coming. We trapped him in the box, making Henry truly safe, and returned home...to you," he added, a smile finally touching his eyes as he glanced at her.

The story had concluded, but he'd ended it too quickly for her taste. The missing details didn't bother her but something else did! He was familiar with Pan. He knew the island. He knew the boys he kept close to him. Pan knew about the prophecy. And locking him away in that box wasn't just a trick, it was painful! Pan had betrayed him, and betrayal took deep emotions, a connection. He'd left something out. "What aren't you telling me?" she asked gently, reaching up to smooth the tense lines of his face. "About you? About Pan? There's something you're leaving out."

He glanced back to the table, the items in front of him and nodded. He was fiddling with something in his hands, something he hadn't had a moment ago. It was small, difficult to identify as he played with it. She placed her hands over his and he allowed her to manipulate his hands so she could see. A corn husk doll? Where on earth had he gotten that? Or summoned it from, she assumed since he hadn't had it a moment ago. More importantly, why had he summoned it? "The others know," he whispered quietly, like the words burned his tongue. "They found out through Pan, but I didn't actually have to be the one to tell them." And that was worse than she could have imagined. Private as he was, having something about himself exposed like that to others was unsettling. She hated to pull it out of him again, but she felt like she needed to know, to understand. His disclosure, her knowledge, it would be as much for him as it was for her.

"You know him somehow Rumple, I can see it!" she prodded further.

He nodded again and finally picked his eyes up to glance into her own. "I know you can," he muttered, then sighed before setting the doll on the table. He turned to take her hands in his own. She wasn't going to like what he had to say. She knew that from the look he had in his eyes. It was bad, and she just wished she knew what to expect. Unfortunately, with him, she'd learned to expect the unexpected, and prepared herself for...whatever was to come.

"Pan wasn't always a boy," he muttered sadly. "He was once a man, with a lover who had run off, left him with an infant son who had no name, and a terrible habit that he just couldn't seem to overcome. The boy and his father came into possession of a magic bean and Pan sought to escape his problems by going to a world where he could start over and create his own life in a land where anything was possible. A land where you need only think something and it was yours!"

"Neverland."

"Neverland," he confirmed. "He took the child with him, but Pan wasn't satisfied with the riches before him. He wanted more. An old man on an island fueled by imagination didn't belong there, not in that state. As much as he wanted to imagine that he was young, it was impossible for him because he had his small son by his side, a constant reminder of his true self. So that man, unable to outrun is selfish habit made a cruel trade. His son would be taken away, returned to the land he came from and with the reminder gone he would gain the eternal youth he sought.

"The boy cried. He screamed, he begged to remain by his father's side, but his attempts were useless. As much as the boy wanted to hold on, his father didn't. And the last thing he saw of his father, the man he knew, was a magical transformation back into a boy, who would remain in Neverland and live his own dreams...without him."

"And the boy?" she asked in a whisper, already sensing she knew how the story would end, dreading that she knew the connection before he'd even said it.

"He grew up with a pair of old spinsters but was never able to outrun the cowardly reputation of the father people really never knew he had. He was branded a coward. Another unhappy ending for an unhappy tale."

A coward. Spinners. A woman who had left him with an infant who had no name. She knew this tale. She was right, and she desperately wished she hadn't been.

"You're the boy," she concluded for him, sparing him the trial of having to say the words himself. "Peter Pan is your father."

This time, when he nodded uselessly at the suspicion, she did cry. "He gave this to me," he whispered looking down at the little doll. "My one and only toy, the only thing he ever gave me out of kindness. I called it Peter Pan and when he left me behind he kept the name." She had no words. There was nothing she could think of to say to ease the hurt he'd be felling, no excuse she could give that forgave his father. How much pain and loss was one man expected to endure in more than one lifetime? How many times would she find that the people who loved him, people who were supposed to love him, had simply moved on to pursue their own interests and desires? Milah, Cora, The Black Fairy and Peter Pan who it seemed had started it all. How dare they be forever stunned when he turned his rage on the world?! How could a man who'd never really had love give it himself? It was no wonder he didn't believe in happy endings. None of his stories ever ended happily.

She wrapped herself around him, held him as tight as she could until she felt his arms close around her as she wanted them to. His anchor. The one that wouldn't leave. The one that couldn't be separated from him ever again because she loved him just as much as he loved her. This story would end happily, she was determined! If it took her entire life, she'd make sure that he saw that. As long as they were together, there was no possible way it would end horribly.

"You're a hero," she muttered in his ear. "You saved your family, and me, from terrible fates. You are a beautiful, courageous man with a heart of true gold, and someday you'll wake up to find that you can have a happy ending! That you do have one!"

He pulled away, and she could see tears in his eyes as he rubbed her own away. "I want that with you," he whispered hopefully. Good. She wanted him to want that! It was a step in the right direction, just as their conversation, last night had been.

"Then you'll have it," she concluded.

"There are some days I think you know me better than I know myself...and most of those days I can't bring myself to care." That was just perfect for her because there were days that she felt like he was the only person in the world that knew her for who she truly was.

"I'll keep all your secrets until the day I die," she promised, knowing that he would happily keep hers as well. If who they were was only ever revealed around each other, she'd be able to handle that, in fact, it might be preferable, considering what they knew.

"They're far safer with you than anyone else I've ever known," he muttered kissing her forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is different than others. Usually I do catch up chapters in only a few paragraphs, paraphrasing what happened, but I felt that this chapter was important for both Belle and for Rumple, not to mention us, that we see how this conversation played out. I know that not all of it is here...that's okay. It's done on purpose. It'll all get there I promise you it will but for now this is what we have to deal with.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	34. Simple Interactions

It took some time; delicately exchanged glances, deliberate words, even carefully timed touches, but a few minutes after the dreaded truth had fallen from his mouth, they were able to release one another. He seemed less tense, less burdened, when he went back to work on David's cure. She wandered through the shelves in the back of the shop until she found an old looking set of dusty books, picked one, and settled into the cot to read...or pretend to read, as it turned out.

It wasn't as if she could focus on anything else after he'd informed her of what exactly had happened in Neverland and the story about his father. The tale was too tragic to put out of her mind, but it wasn't worth continuing to talk about it. Not now at least. She'd let him sit with it for a few days, she'd collect the bits of data that she encountered in town, add in the tale Ariel had told her, and slowly, in a few days, when she had a bigger picture, it would be alright to start asking questions about the details. For now, they'd fallen into their typical silence, letting what had happened rest between them, giving each other space to take it in. Space, time, and maybe a little something more.

He'd been working for hours and she was about to tell him that they should go and find something to eat, that he should take a break when he stated "that should do it" and made her glance up from her spot on the cot. On the table he was pouring a clear liquid into a small brown vial with a funnel, and he had that proud smirk on his face that told her he was pleased with himself.

"That will keep him alive?" she asked joining him once more at the table as he removed the funnel and set it aside.

"If I've done my job right, and I always do, then yes." She smiled at his work, it was fast, but she'd never doubted he could do it. "But let's be sure," he said suddenly, picking up the vial. "Sweetheart, there's a potted plant in the other room-"

"I'll get it," she concluded happily, leaving his side for the larger main room of the shop. She scanned the room of treasures and finally located a hanging plant of blue flowers against the corner of the wall that she'd never noticed before. If she had it certainly wouldn't have been in the state that it was in now. It wasn't dead, but she wouldn't exactly say that it was flourishing either. It's leaves were brittle and dry, the flowers seemed to have given up searching for light, and the plant wilted as though it had given up trying to live and was waiting to die. She didn't know what he planned to do with it, but nevertheless she unhooked it and carried it back to him, finding him tinkering with his bottles and droppers, making room and putting things away in their proper place.

"Thank you," he whispered as she set it before him. She watched as he glanced at it for a second, before a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. Gingerly he broke a stem with a budding flower off and laid it aside, then pulled out an eye dropper filled with black liquid, his smirk fading to seriousness. He squeezed a drop of the stuff into the base of the plant then watched, clinically, as the plant began to die instantly. It's green stem turned brown and rough and it's veins turned black as ink, as if all the water had just been sucked out of them. The small bluish buds turned a sickly shade of white, and the few flowers that had managed to bloom, suddenly lost their petals as they dried instantly.

"Does that mean it didn't work?" she asked breathless and worried. Surely this wasn't what was supposed to cure David, or anyone for that matter! But she couldn't remember him ever getting a spell or potion so horribly wrong before either.

"No," he answered in a distracted voice as he reached for the brown bottle. "That was the dreamshade, concentrated, the same kind used on me. It works faster on the plant because of the size. This..." he extracted an eye dropper full of clear liquid and held it between them, "is the cure." Before she could contemplate the horror of what had been in his body, he let two drops fall onto the base of the plant, the same place that he'd put the dreamshade. She held her breath as she watched and waited. It took a moment, but suddenly the stem straightened, it puffed itself up as if water had just flooded its roots, allowing the plant to stand tall again. Taller even than before! The ends of the green leaves began to bud and they burst into beautiful and healthy blue flowers!

"You did it!" she exclaimed happily, as she inspected the flourishing plant.

"It would seem so." It had gone from dying to thriving in a matter of seconds. If that wasn't a cure, she wasn't sure what was. But while it had cured the plant quickly and for the moment would it keep the plant alive for the foreseeable future? For the rest of the plants life? Was the dreamshade gone or merely laying dormant under the surface?

"Well, will it work? Long term, I mean."

"I can't test that, but I'm certain it will. I've been right about everything else."

She had never been more understanding of his arrogance than she was now. Then again, maybe it wasn't arrogance, not exactly. Was it arrogance if the claims were well founded? Maybe it was simply being truthful, maybe it just meant he had talent and knew his craft well. Lacey understood that, she wanted to use it for terrible things, but she understood his knowledge of it as a good thing. He'd done a good thing with his magic today, she understood that, and she was proud of him...and his magic.

"This can't wait," she informed him, realizing that staring at the gorgeous plant he'd created, and pondering the good he was capable of, wasn't going to cure David. If something was wrong with either of them, she'd want the cure the second it existed. Surely David felt the same way! "We should go give it to David right away!"

He nodded. "It's lunch time, Granny's is a good place to start." Suddenly he reached out and picked up the piece of flower that he'd pulled away from the plant. She'd forgotten about it and was about to ask what he needed it for when he waved his hand in front of it. Before her eyes the stem elongated and became thorny. The blue petals of the budding flower fell to the floor and in their place silky red ones unfolded from a new bud. Where a dying blue flower had once been, a healthy long stemmed rose was now being offered to her and she found herself blushing at the familiar gift, just as she had when she'd taken the first one from him years ago.

"An old woman selling flowers?" she questioned quietly.

He shook his head, giving her that same perfectly happy smile that she'd seen on him since he got back. "Someday I'm going to tell you a story about that. But for now I am just a man asking a beautiful woman to have lunch with him." She liked this new version of him. This romantic side that she'd always known he was capable of but had never let shine through out of guilt. How could a father truly allow himself to be in love when the fate of his son was unknown? Well, now he knew. Now he was a father and he could finally allow himself to be happily in love. It was a beautiful side that she'd caught glimpses of, but never really known, and couldn't wait to continue to uncover.

"You can be incredibly charming when you want to be," she muttered taking the flower from his hand and pressing her nose into the fragrant petals. Perfection.

"Only in your eyes." Her eyes only? Normally she would have rebuked that thought, told him that someday the others would see it in him too. But in cases like this, she couldn't help but want to be a little selfish. The others could catch glimpses of it, and they might if they ever allowed themselves to see him as more than his curse, but she didn't mind the idea of being the only one to completely see this side of him.

She laid the flower delicately against the table and reached up to kiss him again. Happiness. Yes, she could certainly get used to this life. "You are the only one I want to be with today," she smiled, joyfully taking him up on his offer.

"Then let's find the real Prince Charming so we can be alone."

Alone. She hadn't thought of that. All this time she'd kept thinking there was plenty to do, but really that was it. Their obligations were fulfilled for the day. As soon as David had that vial, they could really be alone again! And with that promise in mind they managed to disentangle themselves and gather their jackets. He sealed the small bottle he'd prepared and placed it in his pocket before the pair of them locked up the shop and walked the short distance down the street to the diner, arm in arm, just as she preferred. Just as she always hoped it would be. It was still new, different not to have to adjust her gate to accommodate the cane and his limp, but it also gave her something to look forward to. A day when happy and healthy wasn't something to be adjusted to, when it was just part of their normal everyday lives. That was a future she was looking forward to!

He was right, as always. The moment she stepped into the small diner she located David and Mary Margaret in one of the booths. "I'll get us something to eat at the counter," she whispered, releasing his arm and finding a couple of seats. She looked around for Ruby or Granny, but only found a red-haired woman. The day Ruby was also readily available for friendly chats again would also be a happy future to look forward to. She ordered two burgers, extra pickles, and two teas, a typical meal at Granny's for them and their first since he'd returned. She wanted desperately to turn her attention to the conversation he was having behind her, be sure that the Charming's were being welcoming instead of judgmental, but the strange red-head kept her busy. Asking about her scarf and where she'd got it. Lacey rejoiced. She could always talk about clothes! Or accessories. But it also wasn't every day that she heard her lover, the most infamous dealmaker in the world, say that there was no price to his services. As much as she liked to talk about fashion these days, she'd much rather listen to the other conversation.

"On the house," she heard him insist as the woman suddenly realized she was only half paying attention to her and turned away. "But we are family now, so I'm sure, should I ever need a favor, you'd be more than receptive." She smirked at the assumption. Free for now. A favor for a favor. She couldn't say she was terribly surprised, old habits died hard, but maybe she'd talk to him about it later. Magic didn't always have to be used for deals and short cuts. It had its purposes, like helping David to survive, reuniting him with his son, and bringing back his grandson. Family. He'd said it himself, he had a family now that he never would have known about if not for the magic within him. It wasn't just her and Bae anymore. There might not be an end to his magic, at least not a happy one, but she was certain there were always ways to use it for something good...it seemed to for him.

"Thank you," she heard David utter. It was only a moment later when she finally heard his light footfalls behind her and turned to see him returning to her side, right where he belonged. His hand brushed lightly against the small of her back as he pressed his lips to her forehead and took the seat next to her. Would he ever stop smiling? Would she ever get tired of his soft touches and quick public kisses? Would she ever stop beaming the way she was now? Was it possible not to? She'd gotten him back from the brink of death, what wasn't there to be happy about? The red-head set their plates in front of them and she took the opportunity to glance over his shoulder to where David and Mary Margaret were sitting. Happy was one way to put it. David had reached across the table and was kissing Mary Margaret eagerly. She blushed and quickly averted her eyes to give them privacy. She knew that kind of kissing, she knew that look in his eyes! The pair of them wouldn't waste time leaving after lunch and, in her opinion, whether or not they finished lunch was questionable as well.

"How'd I do?" Rumple asked lightly as he pulled the pickles off her plate.

The action made her smile. Everything was back to normal, the way it should be! "They're kissing," she muttered. "And he's certainly not dead so I'd say it worked."

"In my line of work true loves kiss is as good as it can get."

Despite the distance of the chairs she managed to reach over, wrap her arms around his waist, and squeeze as she laid her head against his shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

She felt him sigh against her as his cheek came to rest against the top of her head. "All I want," he muttered against her, "is to be a man that you'll be proud of, my darling Belle."

Using magic for good. Doing favors, not deals. Publically affectionate. He was who he was when he'd left her, but he'd changed into a new man in only a week. It too was a change she found she could live with. The changes were simple. They didn't change him, just transformed him into what she knew that he could always be. How could she ever want anything more than what he was now? How could she ever not be proud of who he'd become? "You already are," she promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But Treatian, you are letting me down! Neal is there! He's sitting right there! Are you really not going to let them see him?!" Patience young grasshopper. I know Neal is there and I have something very special planned for him, something that I hope everyone will enjoy. It's one of my favorite chapters, a lead in, if you will, to the next fiction and it's coming up right...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	35. The Family Resemblance

They ate the rest of their lunch in happy silence, occasionally giving each other a sideways glance or exchanging a meaningless comment. Change was good, but some things, she supposed never would. He still didn't like to talk around people, too afraid to reveal even the most minute of details to anyone who might overhear him. But that was okay. They'd mastered quiet meals long ago, over a much larger table in a much larger residence. And frankly, maybe it was a bit of him rubbing off on her, but she'd much rather have him all to herself, talking happily in private, away from people eying them like they were a spectacle, or an accident that they couldn't take their eyes off of. Whether he went away to save his grandson or not, it appeared the rumors and whispers would follow them for the rest of their lives. It would never change. But a quiet lunch was a fast lunch and a quicker return to the secret life they were happy to lead behind closed doors.

He paid the bill when they were finished, leaving her to look around the room, taking in the few people there, when she realized something strange. Mary Margaret was still here...alone! David was missing from where he'd been sitting. She hadn't taken a glance over at them since their lunch arrived, hadn't noticed anyone coming or going. She'd figured they would have left shortly after receiving that cure, yet there she was, looking...concerned? Not ecstatic? They'd just gotten news that would ensure the rest of their lives; they'd certainly acted happy beyond belief, what had changed? Why was she alone?

She followed Mary Margaret's gaze and landed on someone she hadn't noticed when they'd both arrived because of his close proximity to the door. Baelfire was here. Sitting alone in a booth, looking out the window, a discarded coffee cup and saucer in front of him. He'd been here for lunch but only had coffee? No. That wasn't right. It also didn't explain the distant look of regret and sorrow on his face. Up until this point she had yet to see the resemblance he had to his father, but she knew that look. It was the same one he'd had years ago when he would stare off into a fireplace, his mind somewhere else.

Her heart turned inside her chest. All this time the pair of them had been sitting here and they hadn't noticed that his son was only a few feet away, alone, and clearly upset over something. First Lacey and now this? What would he think of her?!

"Back to the shop?"

She glanced over her shoulder at his words, but he'd already followed her gaze and found the man sitting at the table. "I didn't know he was here," she whispered guilty.

"I didn't see him until now," he muttered awkwardly. "He looks..." but his voice trailed off, and he shook his head, trying to find the word for the disappointed look his son bore.

"Upset?" she provided. He nodded in confirmation.

Some things never changed, like his inability to know what to say in emotional situations. Happy as he was to have his son around, she understood that he just didn't know how to have his son around. They'd spent more time apart than they had together and he didn't know what to say or do. Should he talk to him or just leave him alone, assuming he'd come to him for help if he needed? He might not know, but for her their was no question. She wasn't about to leave Baelfire here like she hadn't seen him and, fortunately for them, emotional situations happened to be her forte. She only hoped that Bae would see it that way too.

"You go back to the shop," she suggested. "I'll talk to him." He looked between the pair of them, looking unsure at the request. She wasn't unsure, it was the right thing to do, she could feel it. But she knew the situation was still delicate and having Rumple there, watching the pair of them, was not going to help that. Bae would feel pressured, she'd feel pressured...no, the pair of them needed a moment alone. She had to undo what had been done on her own! "Please, I won't be long and I'll come right back to the shop when we're through," she promised. "Trust me, Rumple, please."

He looked her over for another second before something like relief spilled into his eyes. Finally he sighed and nodded his head. "Take all the time you need," he responded, grabbing her hand and offering a squeeze. Then she watched as he made his way toward the door, cast Baelfire a final glance he didn't see, and left as she'd requested.

She took a deep breath of her own, reaching down for bravery or boldness or whatever it was that she needed in order to have a real conversation with the son he'd lost long ago, that really had never met her, only seen her around his father. But if there was any hope of making a life together, happy or otherwise, getting to know Baelfire, even on the simplest of levels was going to be essential. The pair of them were bound together by nothing more than their relation to Rumpelstiltskin but she wanted them to have more than that. They had to start somewhere, it may as well be here and now. So, with a final nervous swallow she walked over to the booth and sat down on the bench opposite him, not bothering to seek an invitation...she just wasn't sure he'd give it.

"Hi," she offered with a nervous sigh. She surprised him, he tore his eyes away from the window and sat back in his seat as she offered him a friendly smile. "I'm about to go back to the store," she commented, wondering if he had noticed their presence when they hadn't, "you're more than welcome to join us...now or...or anytime you want, really."

Even through her feeble invitation he returned her smile, but it wasn't genuine. It was that same awkward smile that he'd had when she'd reached out for him after the boat had docked yesterday. It was the same smile that told her he really wasn't sure what to think of her yet or, for that matter, what to do when she was around. She'd hoped that would go away if Rumple wasn't in the room. That they could just be Belle and Baelfire instead of his father's son and the woman that he loved, but apparently it was a bit more complicated than that. "No," he answered finally, "but thanks for the invite."

She was quiet for a moment, considering what else she could do. He didn't want to come with them, but he wasn't exactly willing to confide in her yet either. Still she wasn't ready to just leave him here alone not when something was so clearly bothering him! It would be the wrong thing to do. "Were you, uh..." she looked around the empty table, remembering how she used to be able to get something useful out of his father by backing into conversations from a different place. Maybe he was the same? "Were you-were you waiting for someone?"

"Yeah...look..." he sat forward, scratched his ear, suddenly unable to keep still. "I don't really know who you are, or what you think, about me and my father or our lives. Frankly I don't know that much about you. But I've survived on my own long enough that I don't really need, um…mothering," he said with a soft breath of laughter.

"Bae-"

"Neal," he interrupted quickly, an annoyed tone escaping his careful tolerance like it was more of a habit than something against her. "My name is Neal," he stated firmly.

She nodded. "Neal then." It would take some adjusting, some getting used to, going from thinking of him as Baelfire to Neal but if that's what he requested, then she'd do her best. With his name and her actions. "I don't want to 'mother' you," she assured him. She didn't. She wasn't exactly sure what their relationship would entail, but she was fairly confident that "mothering" as he'd described it was not a possibility for a man that was hundreds of years older than she was. Another overwhelming concept that she'd have to come to terms with, but not now. Now, she just wanted to be sure that he was okay, as she would if he was the son of Rumpelstiltskin or a no name stranger she'd met on the street. "And I promise," she went on, "I won't even begin to pretend I know where you were or what you went through before you turned up-"

"Yeah, but you want to try, right?" he cut her off, his smile never once disappearing, but morphing from forced friendliness to one of defensiveness. Like he had her pegged perfectly and found whatever believes he thought that she wanted humorous or predictable. "Isn't that what you're supposed to convince me? You want to try and be one big happy family?"

She shook her head, a smirk touching the corners of his mouth. He was quick on the draw, wanting to control the conversation, always having something to say. He wasn't a rude person, he was just untrusting of her...no, not just her. Everyone. And if he'd been through as much as she thought he'd been through, she couldn't blame him. And the fact that he'd been upset by something was only making his distrust worse. Who else did she know like that?

Would she like them to be a family? One day, in some capacity she'd love for them to feel comfortable around each other. He might never need mothering, but she didn't exactly feel an urge to coddle him either. No, they didn't need familial ties just yet, she didn't even need them to be friends. For now, just friendly acquaintances would do.

"I imagine..." she whispered, "I imagine that between Emma and Rumple, and learning about a son the last thing you need is another relative; or to be unnecessarily mothered."

He looked her up and down for a moment, like her words shocked him or were too good to be true. Skepticism, another look that she recognized well enough. That was it! The family resemblance wasn't physical, it was deeper than that. He had his father's mannerisms, his demeanor, his expressions. They thought the same way. He was skeptical, distrusting, and, thankfully, curious. Just as his father was. Just as she was about him. That was a trait she knew how to work to her advantage.

"So, what is it you want, exactly?" he asked gently but without losing his distrustful edge. They both wore masks too. Masks that they'd probably both developed in order to survive all the centuries they'd lived and the horrors they'd encountered. And just as she had seen through his fathers, she could see through Bae's-Neal's, as well.

"Your father is the only family I have now. And I don't have many friends in town," she admitted to him, exposing a bit of herself and hoping he'd do the same for her. "Ruby and the occasional mermaid aside...I'm just as alone as you are. I know how overwhelming it can be without someone else to talk to and...I just wondered...I wondered if maybe you could use another friend too? Someone to talk to?"

He watched her as she spoke, but said nothing when she was finished, merely cast his eyes down into an empty coffee cup and avoided her gaze. She couldn't decide if he really just didn't know what to say or if he was uncomfortable with her taking the sudden lead in the conversation, just as his father would have been. If that was the problem, it was unlikely she was going to get anything out of him. He'd had centuries to practice keeping his story inside, there was no possibility she'd be able to crack it open in one conversation. Maybe another time then. She was patient, she could wait, she'd made the first step, the next would be up to him.

"Here," she reached into her bag, pulled out a pen and scrap of paper then wrote the number to her cell phone down and handed it to him. "Just in case you ever need to get in touch with me, or your father, or you want to talk. No expectations, no mothering. I promise."

After a second he reached out and pulled it free from her fingers slowly, as if he was afraid of it. He looked it over for a second, examining the number like there was something wrong or his life depended on memorizing it that very second. "It's almost the same as his," he commented finally.

She nodded, happy that he'd finally said something; that he was interacting with her in some way, not to mention impressed that he already had his father's number and knew it well enough to notice that hers was only one digit different. Observant, another trait father and son shared. "He got it for me," she explained happily, "so he could be sure I was safe. He can be a bit over protective at times."

"I remember..." he smiled suddenly, the delicate mask falling away for a brief second before he corrected himself. She fought hard not to over react, to treat it normally and not rejoice in the small experience they could both share.

"He just wants the people he loves to be safe...and happy. And..." she swallowed, thinking of all the times they'd talked about his journey to retrieve his long lost son, and all the times that she'd worried he might be too late or the relationship too tattered to repair. He wasn't the only one that had worried about him. Whether he liked it or not, they were connected, and had been before he even knew she existed. She didn't want that to change. "And that's what I want too."

Finally he stopped looking at the paper and glanced up at her to meet her gaze. It was a flicker, only a brief second before he caught himself and fixed it, but he'd allowed his mask to slip again, given her a glance into the real Baelfire, the man that had survived beyond all hope. They were fighters, too. Both of them. They'd had to be. She didn't know if he'd call or not, but she was certain he wasn't going to decide now, not with something else clearly running through his head. He needed time. Time to think and take it all in. He knew he had a father, he'd known about Emma, and became a devoted father the moment he found out about Henry. But he hadn't known about her, hadn't even known to anticipate her, and it would take some time to get used to the idea. She reached out, squeezed his hand, and offered a final small smile.

"I have to go. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon." She stood without another word and made her way to the door, and shook her head at the surprise waiting for her. He was there, standing outside for her instead of returning to the shop, wanting desperately to turn around and at least watch their interaction through the window, or walk back in and participate. But he'd restrained himself, giving them all the space they'd needed, trusting her. If there was hope for the two of them, then there was hope for her and Baelfire as well. Neal. There was hope for her and  _Neal_ as well.

"Belle!" she pulled her hand off the knob at the sudden summons and glanced over to where Bae-Neal was still sitting holding the piece of paper timidly in his hands, like he was deciding whether to throw it away or keep it. "Look..." he finally pocketed the paper and glanced around the room, checking to be sure he wouldn't be over heard. She stepped closer to him, to keep whatever he wanted to say as private as possible. "I don't remember a lot, you know from when my mother was around, from when they were together, partly because I was too young and it was too long ago, but also..." he swallowed, then took a deep breath and long sigh, nervously thinking over whatever words he wanted to say to her. Painful memories. Carefully chosen words. More family traits. "Also, because they just weren't around each other a whole lot. But in all the memories I do have, he never once smiled like the way he did when he saw you yesterday." That wasn't hard to believe. They'd both been doing more smiling than they'd ever done these days. But it was the hidden implication the reason for the smile that Bae was trying to convince her of that made her blush with happiness.

"Look, uh..." he sighed again, battling whatever monsters where within his own mind. "I know I have no right to ask you this, not after everything that's happened between the two of us, our history, even if we are on good terms at the moment, but, uh...just...just don't hurt him. Okay?" Her heart stopped at the words. Of all the things she imagined he'd want to say to her, to talk about, that hadn't been on her mind. And she wasn't insulted by it, though she thought maybe some people would be, she was touched.

"I, uh...I thought I'd have to be the one to ask you that," she stuttered, acknowledging the irony of his request. They were words she didn't think she'd ever hear from his son, knowing the past and knowing what had happened. He did care, maybe more than he thought, and that meant there wasn't just a resemblance between father and son, she and Baelfire had something in common as well. And for a brief moment, she watched as Bael-Neal offered her yet another smile, but this one wasn't false, or covering up a secret thought. It was genuine. It was hopeful almost. It wasn't much, but it was enough to start on. She'd take it. "We'll be fine," she assured him, unsure of who the "we" was in that statement. But it was something to be discussed another time. And with any luck, it would be. She made a motion to the pocket he'd placed her number in. "You know where to find me if you need something...anything at all."

Without another moment of hesitation she made her way back outside into the chilly weather, letting the cool air chase the happy blush from her cheeks as she trotted down the steps and threaded her hand through the crook of his waiting arm. He managed all of two seconds before asking "Was everything alright?" as they began their steady stroll toward the shop.

"It will be, I think," she sighed, "eventually."

Rumple stopped in his tracks glanced down at her, confused. "What on earth did the two of you talk about?"

"The one thing we have in common," she muttered, giving a gentle tug on his arm and pulling him close so she could kiss his cheek again and bring out his new-found smile. "You."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There see, I told you that I wouldn't miss out on having Neal there. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. It's one of my favorites. In Moments Exchanged Belle and Neal are going to bond. They are going to bond in a number of ways actually, but I felt like this was a good place to kick that bonding off at. I mean, yeah it's not much really, but I felt like it was enough. I felt like it was enough of an introduction, of both of them taking a timid and yet realistic first step toward the other, not for the purpose of being family, but just for the purpose of being closer to one another. It's a good start for what will eventually develop into one of my favorite relationships. No seriously, I love Rumbelle, but Neal and Belle...it's one of my favorites and I wish that I had more of an opportunity to write for them.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	36. Endings Rewritten

The store was comfortably quiet when they returned. He didn't ask any more about the conversation that had occurred between her and Neal, despite the fact that she knew he wanted desperately to. Instead, he made himself busy the only way she suspected he knew how: spinning. The moment they stepped into the back room he began to work the wheel he'd shoved into the corner free, sat down, and lost his mind to the endless predictable turning of the familiar old wood. She could only smile and claim her spot on the cot again, grabbing the same book that she'd been pretending to read before they'd left for lunch. Him at the wheel. Her with a good book. Changes would come and go but something's were doomed to be eternal, like the comforting silence they created in the squeak of a wheel and the turn of a page. Grand hall or tiny cluttered room, it was heaven.

If only they could both concentrate.

He made it obvious first, not long after sitting down; it was a missed beat in the whine of the wheel that caused her to glance up and catch the last of his distracted glimpse to the shop floor, the exact place Pan was hidden beneath. She would have been able to forget it, chalk it up to his curiosity and hurt, until she noticed him take a second glance only a few moments later. She felt it then, or maybe she didn't, maybe it was all in her head, but it didn't feel that way. It was a pulse, a fraction of a pulse really. Small, a tiny vibration. A heartbeat. Just like what she'd felt when she'd held the box in her hands yesterday. Whether he felt it too and that was what was distracting him as well she couldn't be sure, but it was too much for her to bear. Another reminder, they weren't alone and the thought that his father, Peter Pan might be listening, or able to watch in some magic way, made her skin scrawl. If it felt that way for her, she could only imagine how it made him feel.

She sighed and moved her book aside, as she came to a sudden conclusion without ever once thinking about it. There was no reason to stay and endure the torture, to test their ability to stay sane. The only reason they'd come into town at all was to cure David. Well, now he was cured! And there was no more reason to remain here as far as she was concerned. She got up and managed to somehow move into the corner with the wheel, smirking as she realized that she'd seen that surprised and confused glance on his face once before as she'd plucked the string from his fingers then made herself comfortable by sitting down on it as she had once before. As long as they were reminiscing in this way she figured she may as well complete the picture and reached out to rest her hand against his leg. He needed a distraction and she was more than happy to provide that, and maybe even get the opportunity to put a new positive feeling on an old negative memory.

"We could go home early," she suggested. "Have a nice dinner. Sit by the fire. Go to bed. We could pretend to be normal for once, before the next emergency, or kidnapping, or whatever disaster the world wants to throw at us next happens. We could just enjoy each other, have some peace and quiet away from town." Maybe it wasn't just him that wanted something like that, maybe it wasn't just him that needed the distraction, as another pulse seemed to echo quietly off the empty walls around them she realized just how desperately she did want to leave, to come back and try living some other time. She hoped he felt the same.

"You," he whispered back with a sly smirk, "are a temptress the likes of which I've never confronted before." She had to smile. Temptress? Not a word that anyone she knew would use to describe her. Describe Lacey? Sure. In a heartbeat. But her? No. Definitely not. That was something she only wanted one person in the entire world to see her as. And he was sitting right next to her. Maybe it went both ways. She was the only one to see who he really was, charming, caring, loving, hopelessly devoted to the point of enslavement to those who held his heart. And in return he was the only one to truly see who she was, a hero, courageous, and yes, maybe even a temptress on the right circumstances. But only for one person.

"It's a gift I reserve for you alone." And before he could say anything she leaned forward and closed the distance between them. The feel of timber beneath her, the wheel at her back, his lips on hers, when she opened her eyes she half expected to be back in the castle, to find herself wearing a long blue dress in the fire light, and a beast transforming back into a man again at her touch. But what she saw was better, because when she finally pulled herself away it was just him. The pair of them. In the back of his shop. Better yet, instead of a violent, angry reaction, he gave her a loving look. And instead of resisting her affections he moved closer, giving into her this time around as he pressed his forehead against her own and caught his breath as if she'd stolen it away from him.

"I'm honored," he breathed with an astonished tone. Yes, this was a much better ending than before.

"Come on," she encouraged grabbing his hand, "let's go home." He followed her eagerly, cheating as he hid the wheel away again with a wave of his hand, grabbing coats, her hat, and his cane this time, but eventually they managed to pull the shades, flip the sign to "closed", and leave the shop for what looked to be a very promising evening...until they closed the door.

As she watched him fiddle with the key, waiting patiently to leave, she heard the heavy, hurried footfalls of running behind her. Her stomach turned over as she glanced behind her and saw the Charming's, all of them, Emma, Mary Margaret, and David, running. They weren't running from something, at least nothing she could see, which could only mean one thing. They were running toward something, them. Him. She knew before he even noticed who was coming that they were too late. The next emergency had already happened. The next disaster was here.

"No!" Rumple called out finally seeing the panicked faces coming their way. "I'm afraid we're closed!" he stated clearly, stepping away and holding his hand out as if he could make the point even more clear. "Whatever crisis you're dealing with, I'm done for the day."

"Rumple," she hissed under her breath. She wasn't thrilled about it either. She knew that he was equally as tired as she was at being the go-to for every person in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forrest when things went wrong. And if it had been anyone else, anyone wearing a different look of desperation she would have remained silent and supported his petition to be left alone. But it was the Charmings and, so far as she had seen, they never bothered him unless it was something truly wrong. At the moment, she really wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Pandora's Box," Emma breathed, "give it to me."

"Why would I do that?" he asked, still sounding put off but at least giving into the request she'd made. Then again, she supposed there was no choice in the matter. If it concerned Pandora's Box it concerned Peter Pan, and there was no possibility that what was going to come out of their mouths, that whatever had happened to bring them here, was good.

"We need to open it," Emma responded.

"And let Pan out? Are you crazy?!"

"Somehow he's controlling the shadow from inside the box," Mary Margaret explained, "Henry's life is in danger." Shadow? Had he mentioned anything about a shadow? No. Not that she remembered. One of those details he'd skipped because of time then? Who was it? What was it? Did it really matter? Henry's life was in danger...still! Mary Margaret had said it herself. There would be time for questions later. Henry was once again the priority.

"And you think letting Pan out will change that?" he assumed

"Yes," Emma insisted, determination on her face. "Because we can stop him, finally, and forever."

"All due respect, Ms. Swan, we barely succeeded in apprehending him the first time!" he argued. "If I've learned one thing it's not to tempt fate."

"I'm not looking to  _apprehend_  him," Emma corrected with spite in her voice and revenge in her eyes. "Wouldn't you rather be sure he's gone?"

She wasn't sure she liked the look that Emma had in her eyes, but she knew the one in his eyes well enough to make her uneasy. He was angry with his father for abandoning him when he was a child. But for what he'd done to his family, for what his father had put Henry through, what he'd done to Baelfire...there wasn't a word invented yet to encompass that emotion. If Emma was suggesting that Pan get what was coming to him, he would support that idea no matter what. So would she frankly, so long as it was done for the right reasons by the right people.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" he asked, his interest sparked.

"No one is going to be safe until he's gone, permanently," she explained.

"You want to kill him," he stated, putting an end to her playing with words and putting the obvious out in the open.

"We want the town to be safe again," David clarified almost calmly. "And if getting rid of Pan is the only way to do that, then so be it."

"Gold, burn the box, destroy it, find a way to make sure no one else dies, and I'll be happy. But Henry is going to stay safe, and until Pan is gone for good there is no way to make sure that happens." She watched him and Emma square off, eyes locked, each daring the other to blink first. He was going to give into her request, and he'd probably do it much too happily for her taste, but for now he was looking skeptically at the girl before him.

"Why the sudden change of heart, Miss Swan? If the Shadow has freed itself, why not simply capture it again as you did in Neverland?"

"Because I'm done taking chances with innocent lives," she hissed "especially my sons."

"And the Shadow just killed Mother Superior," David added.

Her jaw dropped, her heart felt like it was trying to beat but only being squeezed painfully inside her chest and she had to reach out for his arm to make sure she wouldn't fall over. "Mother Superior is dead?!" she asked softly, not believing the words any more than she wanted to the first time around.

"Yeah," Emma confirmed.

"But…" Mother Superior was dead? The same woman who'd helped her set the cloaking spell? Dead?! Pan killed her? Or a shadow? None of it seemed possible…or fair? "But how? Why?!"

"Because he could!" Emma stressed, her voice lowering in obvious impatient rage. "He sent the shadow to tear hers out. Now she's gone, Henry is still in danger, and I'm not gonna sit around waiting for Neal to find the shadow and capture him again, hoping it'll hold him this time around. I'm done with chances. It's time for this to be over! For good! Now are you gonna help us or not Gold?!"

He glanced over at her for a second, but not for permission, or her opinion, he'd already decided. Pan was as good as dead. "Give us a moment," he muttered, unlocking the door and ushering her back inside the quiet space. "I don't suppose I could ask you to stay here where it's safe?"

"I'm not leaving your side," she insisted.

"Then do you know where the shawl is?" he asked, shutting the door behind them, not bothering to fight her decision. Good. Whether he knew it or not, would be happy with it or not he needed her right now. For more reasons than she could count. She wasn't going to let him out of her sight.

"I put it back in the safe after you left," she answered obediently.

"Grab it for me?" he asked politely enough, but clearly distracted. She nodded but he didn't see it, he'd already taken off for the back of the shop to retrieve the box. As much as she felt like she needed a moment to sit down, to take in the knowledge that Mother Superior was dead and gone, she understood his need to keep moving. Danger didn't wait for grief to pass and neither could she. The sooner they got this over with, the sooner they'd be at home and she could process the tragedy. She quickly moved around the shop, giving only a passing glance to the door to make sure no one could look in to find the hidden vault, and pulled out the shawl handing it to him as he reappeared from behind the curtain that terrible little box clutched between his fingers. "Thank you," he whispered, and she knew that he was just as surprised at the new turn of events as she was.

Nevertheless, they quietly joined their arms again, a united front, and left the shop. "Where is Neal?" he asked as he locked the store again.

"With Hook and Tink," Emma responded, "they went to get the candle and try to catch the shadow." Tink? Did she knew a "Tink"?

He apparently understood as he nodded at the comment that obviously made sense to him. Another detail? "We'll meet you at the town line then," he concluded quietly.

Emma looked him over again, quizzically. She was simply curious to know why he'd suggested such a thing, frankly so was she! But then something like recognition or understanding passed over her face and she smiled. "If that's what's best."

"It's what's safest," he corrected with an irritated bite in his tone. They'd gone from blissful to tense too fast, and she understood the annoyance at having them second guess his plans when it was them that came to him for help. Especially considering the sensitive emotional connection he had to the subject.

"We'll meet you there," she insisted, tightening the grip she had on his arm and pulling him toward the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear these two can't go more than ten chapters without danger striking or a disaster hitting. Ah well...as many of you know this is the beginning of the end. Probably why I through so many references to their old live and fluff into the last few chapters. I just had to take advantage of it while I still could. So, without further ado, shall we get on with the terrible nasty? Yes? Yes...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	37. A Terrible Mistake

"The Blue Fairy," he muttered breaking the silence in the car as they got closer and closer to the town line, "you knew her?"

She nodded sadly, remembering that terrible fact, feeling horrible she'd forgotten. "Ruby introduced us," she explained. "She helped me set the cloaking spell and keep the town under control after you'd gone. She was my friend." And it just seemed like a horrible mistake. Why would anyone want to kill someone as kind as her? What was the point?

"Are you alright?" he asked gently. She appreciated the words, she wasn't great or good, but she couldn't allow herself to feel bad, not right now, not with the town being threatened again. For now, she needed to be okay, just alright. That was all she could expect, and he seemed to understand that.

"I'll be fine. But are you?" she asked, glancing over at him and the box he'd placed on the seat between them. "Can you handle this?" He said nothing, just stared ahead at the long road as he drove. It was answer enough for her, and it was worrisome. "You should let them take care of it," she muttered.

"Take care of what?" Avoidance, another bad sign. She wasn't going to joke or try to fool herself, she knew why they were here, and she knew that there was no chance of Peter Pan coming away from whatever he was planning alive. But that didn't mean she wanted him to be the one to enact that plan! The last thing he needed was to look back on this moment years later and be haunted by his actions, questioning his motivations.

"The box," she stated, playing along with his game. "Pan. You should let Emma take care of him."

"He's my father, Belle." She could hear the warning in his voice, the strain in his tone as his temper started to rise. She knew the argument, it was a fair one, but that didn't make it right.

"And that is exactly why you should let them handle it. If you kill Pan it's murder not justice."

"Henry is her son," he snapped quickly, "and the Blue Fairy was your friend. Who among us has no motive to want Pan dead!" Another good point. Everyone had been harmed and hated the legendary boy in one way or another. If he hadn't taken Henry then she wouldn't have spent a week of her life facing sleepless nights without him. And the pain that he'd caused now and in the past, made her absolutely furious. If they wanted someone who hadn't been touched by Pan then they'd have to take time to locate someone with the courage and proper skill required.

She leaned her head back against the rest as she watched the line come into view. He wasn't right, but he wasn't wrong either. And neither was she. There was no good way to do this, no way to make the right thing good. There was no answer, other than to just follow through and deal with the consequences as they came. She took a deep breath and glanced back over at him. She might not have been right, but she wasn't wrong. He was too emotionally involved.

"At least promise me that we'll decide as a group the right way to do this and you'll go along with whatever they decide." He didn't need to move a muscle for her to see him throw up a stubborn wall and refuse to acknowledge her request. Giving up control of a situation, especially one he felt responsible for, was not in his nature, it went against everything that he'd ever done in life. But this was a new life, a fresh start, and she didn't want him to do something he'd regret before they even passed the beginning. "Rumple," she reached across the space and grabbed his hand off the steering wheel. "If they want your help give it, but please let them handle it. Let Pan out of the box, but don't let him have the final say over your life. Don't let him make you do something that might darken our future. Please!"

The words were the key. He didn't ease at her blatant reminder, but he did allow the stubborn chip on his shoulder to fall away and consider it as he kissed the back of her hand. "I'll try," he muttered begrudgingly. It wasn't the answer she wanted, but it was the best she was going to get out of him. She couldn't ask more than that.

"I'll be with you the entire time," she assured him as he parked the car. The Charming's stepped out of the car and gathered around the bright orange line as they filed out of his car.

She thought that once she got to the line his comment about wanting to come here because it was safe would make sense, but looking around the shrubs and long road where she'd been shot that horrible night, she couldn't say it did. "I don't understand," she muttered as he threw the shawl around his neck and held his cane secure in his fist, "why are we here?"

"There's no magic beyond the town line," he explained striding toward the small family, "if we release Pan outside Storybrooke, he'll be powerless to fight back." And if magic was all he had in his arsenal, then their deaths would be prevented. It was safest. He was about to cross that dreaded orange warning and frankly she was about to grab him, when Emma barred his path.

"Uh-uh," she insisted, throwing a hand up in front of him, "I'm doing this." She was relieved. All he needed to do was open the box, but it still didn't sit well with him she could see that.

"I can cross the line and retain my memories," he argued.

"It's not about that," she corrected. "There's no magic over there, all due respect, the real world is my expertise." He looked uneasy at the statement, but Emma had a point and she suspected that he saw it. He just didn't like it. She drew her gun and stepped over the line in a manner that made her look almost too confident and betrayed her nervousness. They weren't the only ones on edge here, she could feel the tension thick in the air. "I'm gonna deal with Pan on my terms," she insisted, as if trying to make the action she was about to perform better in some way.

"He is my father," he reminded her, attempting to use the same poor logic he had with her only moments ago.

"It's my hunch!" Emma fought back. "If I fail you're welcome to pick up the pieces." That thought was exactly what scared her most about this event. She suddenly had a terrible feeling that keeping his hands clean in an affair like this could be a lot more difficult than she'd planned. Maybe they should have risked taking the time to find someone else or some other way to do this. No one here could do this with a clear conscious in the end. One way or another someone was going to walk away different from this experience.

"Emma..." Mary Margaret looked as if she was thinking the same thing. But they'd both been brought up in the same life style, strange as it seemed from this land. They both had been taught that sometimes, with great evil, there was no other option than to remove it…for the good of the town. But that didn't mean she couldn't wish there were other options. "Be careful," she commanded in the end. Emma offered a small nod, took a stance and threw a glance at Rumpelstiltskin. She was ready. Was he? Pan or not, hurt and pain aside, he was still his father. They would always remain bound by blood, watching his execution couldn't be easy. Why hadn't she thought of this before now?!

He waved his hand over the box. A red jewel on top glowed for a second before rising and freeing what looked like red dust into the atmosphere. He reached out, set the box over the line and before she could panic about whether or not he would listen and come back, he was at her side. It was a reluctant step, but he'd taken it. So far everything was working according to plan. The dust seemed to grow and hover there on the ground, then it settled, and what looked like a teenage boy came into focus laying on the ground dressed in green. Emma tensed, aimed her gun, and everyone took a collective step back as the boy seemed to suddenly become aware of his own presence and stand up. She followed suit, holding his hand for support, but also, she had to admit, grasping his shoulder hoping that she might be able to stop him in some way from getting involved. He said he'd try not to. But a "try" was not a promise. And with the dead angry look he had in his eyes, the grip he held on her hand, she was suddenly reminded that the beast was still alive somewhere within him. And he was fighting like hell right now not to give himself over to the darkness and take care of things himself.

"I'm right here," she muttered in his ear, low enough that no one could hear, hoping somehow it might give him something more to grasp. But she wasn't sure he heard her. All he did was stare at Pan as the boy looked around the trees, confused. Her grip tightened when he turned to look at the four of them across the line. But he didn't look cruel, or evil as she expected. He looked scared. He looked...

It was a trick. That look was a manipulative trick to gain sympathy, it had to be. With the run around he'd given them in Neverland, the way he played off people's emotions, surely he wanted them to feel bad for him and to save him. Suddenly she found herself relying on his grip to keep her own instincts in check as he turned to face Emma and her gun.

"Mum!" the boy said with a mix of relief and surprise in his voice. Mom? Another trick?

"What?" Emma questioned for her.

"What are you waiting for?" Rumple hissed beside her, "Shoot him!"

"Don't!" Pan cried, looking between his son and Emma. "Please," he begged, "I'm Henry!" Henry? No. He couldn't be Henry. Rumple was right it had to be a trick. Henry was off safe somewhere. Probably with Regina. She'd seen him get off the ship. The boy was stalling. "Pan...he switched out bodies!" he went on desperately as if his life depended on it, then again, maybe it did.

"You expect me to believe that?" Emma retorted.

"Don't listen to him," Rumple interjected with pain in his voice, "this is another one of his tricks."

"No, it's not!" he argued back almost like a...

Like a child. Like a twelve year old boy, instead of a man hundreds of years old trapped in a boy's body. Was he really that good at trickery? Would they see through it? Because she honestly wasn't sure if she could. "He did it right before Mr. Gold captured me in the box, I swear!" He made a motion to step forward, but Emma stopped him as she'd stopped Rumple from crossing the line. However she still didn't shoot him.

"Don't come any closer!" she insisted, but still didn't shoot. Was she falling for it? Or just having trouble figuring out what was happening just as she was?

"Shoot him!" Rumple growled again. But still, she didn't.

"Maybe he's telling the truth," she muttered. "Maybe that's why I can't shake this feeling that something's off about Henry."

Something off with Henry? He'd seemed fine to her. He'd smiled on the dock, he'd talked when they'd been in the shop. He did seem different, less happy, more tortured, but she'd chalked it up to the traumatic experience. Was it more? Could it be true? Had he come back looking older because of what he'd gone through? Or because he was older? Her mind recalled his eyes, the aged look in them. That had been the look she'd expected to find on Pan, she just hadn't realized it until now. But it could be anything. The boy really could be traumatized! And Pan could be playing a trick, or he could be telling the truth. She wasn't sure what to think!

"Maybe that's what he wants you to think," Rumple argued, giving voice to her own thoughts, or one of them at least. "If he steps over this line we're all dead!" He made a sudden move for the line and she reacted just in time to catch it, to apply enough pressure to his shoulder to stop him in his tracks. His mind might have been made up but clearly not everyone's had been. She wasn't the only one having doubts and if they were going to do this they needed to make sure his claims were unfounded. Especially this one. If she didn't hold him back...who knew what he'd do.

"Alright," Emma muttered, confirming his thoughts but also hers. She was silly to have assumed this would be simple. "If you are really Henry prove it," she demanded. "Tell me something only Henry would know."

"I-I-I got trapped in the mines," he said desperately. "I tried to blow up the well. I like hot coco with cinnamon!"

"This proves nothing!" Rumple growled again.

"He's right Emma!" Mary Margaret reminded her. Both of them. To her, the information seemed too personal not to be true. Henry was Pan?! "Henry could have told Pan all of this in Neverland." Another fair point she hadn't considered.

"Pan might know facts," Emma confirmed, "but life is made up of more than that, there are moments. He can't possibly know all of them. The first time you and I connected," she informed the boy, her eyes never wavering, "you remember that? Not met, but connected."

Pan stared at the ground, as if thinking for a moment. Then he smirked and nodded his head eagerly, once again reminding her of a child more than willing to prove he could ride a horse on his own or even just pour tea without spilling. "Yeah," he breathed.

"Where was it?"

"At my castle," he answered, "right after you came to Storybrooke."

"And what did you tell me?"

"That I knew why you gave me up."

"Why?"

"Because you wanted to give me my best chance."

She didn't understand the conversation, the importance of the moment he'd described, but she did understand the meaning of Emma's lowering her gun and putting it away. He'd gotten it right and proved who he really was. Not Pan.

"Henry," Emma breathed moving toward him.

"Mum," he responded throwing his arms around the woman and hugging her.

"This is Henry," Emma stated as she held onto the boy that was, apparently, her son. Rumple eased. The steady force she'd been holding back disappeared as he released her hand and looked at the scene before him with confusion, but also the gentle eyes of the man he knew. "Promise you're not gonna incinerate us when we step over the line," Emma requested, looking at him. He didn't answer, but he didn't have to. Confused as he was, he knew as well as she did who the boy was. He wouldn't hurt him.

Emma stooped down to pick up the box still on the ground as Henry ran across the line and embraced his grandparents, who hugged him back just as eagerly as he did. She reached out and gave his hand a supportive squeeze before Emma handed the box to him.

"I'm sorry I doubted you Henry," he apologized, his voice once again the one that belonged to him and not the angry monster inside. "And I'm sorry I put you in this box in the first place."

Henry only gave a small snort and smile. "It's okay. I would have done the same thing."

"Come on," Emma smiled happily, as she escorted her son back down the road towards town. She could only imagine what the two of them had to talk about now that they were home. As she reached out and grabbed the crook of his arm she could only imagine what they would talk about once they got home! Today had certainly not gone entirely as she'd expected or hoped.

"He's all the way out here," David muttered holding his wife, "where's Pan?"

"David," she glanced over at Mary Margaret who was watching her daughter and grandson walk down the road not with happiness but a look of terrible shock. Instead of looking like she'd witnessed a miracle she looked as though she'd just seen a ghost. "If Pan switched bodies with Henry right before he was locked away in the box..." she glanced up at her husband with scared, worried eyes. She didn't need her to finish the sentence to realize what she'd just discovered, what she'd forgotten.

"That means Pan's been walking around as Henry since you got back," she burst out, glancing up at Rumple staring down the road, his face morphing back into anger again.

"And we have a very serious problem," he finished for her.

"Emma!" David called out loud enough to make the pair stop and look back at them. "Call Regina!" he ordered. "Call Regina now!"

It had been a long unexpected day...and it wasn't over yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty straight forward chapter, not too much to say about it other than that it was fun to write Belle's inner turmoil here. Not just with Henry, but over what they were about to do with Pan. She gets it. She understands why it has to happen. Doesn't mean she's happy about it.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	38. A Time For Bravery

"There's no answer," Emma said casting a look of despair around the group before her. But when her eyes landed on Henry they softened, but not naturally, it was forced. She didn't want to worry him, it was understandable. "I'll try again."

"All due respect Ms. Swan, but you can waste time calling again or we can go after her before it's too late!"

"Rumple-"

"Henry," Emma interrupted before she could properly tell him to calm down around Henry, "go wait in the truck."

"No!" the boy looked around them, taking a step back as if he'd just been hit. "No, I want to help!"

"You can help by trying to call Regina," she handed her phone to the boy. "Keep trying for me-us, if she answers let us know."

Henry hesitated for a moment, then looked to the faces around him. She could tell that he wanted to stay, he wanted to help, that had been the truth! But she could also tell by the look in his face that he understood he wasn't going to be allowed much more than using the cell phone. No matter what age he looked at the moment, he was still just a twelve year old boy. "I'll do my best," he said determinedly taking with the device and walking back into the truck. He'd put on a brave face but she could tell even through Pan's mask that he was worried. Quite frankly after all they'd been through in the past week she couldn't blame him. And Rumple's comment hadn't helped. He was tense again. He was trying to hide it, to pretend like it didn't affect him having Pan out and roaming freely in the body of his grandson, but that didn't mean that he shouldn't have watched what he said and who he said it around.

"Everything that kid's been through I'm not letting him go through hell again," Emma muttered to herself watching him go. "We're finding Pan. And when we do we're gonna kill him and put stop to all this. I'm through playing his games."

"Any suggestions for where we begin looking for him?" David asked.

"Regina," Emma spat. "She was the last one seen with Henry. We find her, hope Pan's still there."

"Gold," Mary Margaret began, "you know Regina better than anyone, where would she have taken Henry?"

"Regina is a creature of habit," he responded confidently. "If she thought she was protecting Henry she'd go to the one place where she feels absolutely safe."

"And that is?" David pressed.

"Her vault."

"At the cemetery?"

He nodded. "It's where she's hidden all her magic, she feels strongest there."

"Then that's where we'll start," Emma concluded, breaking away from the group and striding back to the truck. "We'll keep calling Regina, call Neal and we'll meet you there!" she called over her shoulder, clearly wanting to move and get there as fast as she could. It was understandable. She hadn't even dealt with Pan himself and yet she was ready for this mess to be over as well. Without stopping to question Emma's plan the four of them fell into place. Mary Margaret and David got back into the truck, she wrapped her hand around Rumple's arm and he led them back to the car, holding open the door and handing her his phone as she got back inside.

"Call Bae," he requested as he started the car and pulled out, "tell him what's happening." She'd took the phone and found the number nervously. In all honesty she didn't know if she should be the one to talk to him, even after their brief conversation. They'd connected in a small way, bonded over their concern for the one man they had in common, but she didn't want him to feel as though she was crowding him! Then again, this certainly wasn't about Bae. Or her. Or even Rumple. It was about Henry. They'd been given a task to do by Emma, and they needed to complete it, for Henry's sake. And Baelfire needed to know what had happened with his son.

"Unless you have a magical way to track a shadow down I'm a little too busy for a friendly chat right now," he answered. He thought he was talking to his father, obviously.

"It's Belle, actually," she corrected awkwardly.

"Belle?" he sounded confused, stunned even. "Wh-what's happened? Is everything alright? The shadow is free is Papa-"

"No," she insisted, "no, it's not him! He's fine, it's Henry. He isn't himself! Henry isn't Henry!"

"What?" he shouted into her ear, obviously confused. A deep breath, she needed to take a deep breath and start making sense.

"Henry isn't really Henry. It's Pan. They switched bodies before going into the box, we only just realized now-"

"Wait, wait, wait," she could practically see him running a nervous hand through his hair and over his face as he paced back and forth. "Henry is really Pan! Pan is with you! So if Henry is with you, where is Pan…the real Pan?" he questioned finally working it all out.

"We think Regina took him to her vault. It's at the cemetery we're all on our way there now. Do you know where it is? Can you meet us there?"

"Yeah," he breathed, with equal parts amazement and disbelief, it was a lot to take in on one conversation. "Yeah, I'll be there as soon as I can," he assured her before the phone went dead.

"He's on his way," she informed Rumple as she reached over and dropped the phone back into his pocket as he sped down the road, stone faced and determined.

"I need you to do one more thing for me, one more favor."

She rolled her eyes, knowing the request before it even came. It was his voice that betrayed him just as much as their past history did. "I'm not going to wait in the car, or go home, or hide behind whatever door you think will keep me safe, Rumple."

"It's just a precaution," he insisted a little too desperately for it to be a proper "precaution". "Do you remember what we talked about this morning?"

"Do you?" she responded quickly. Yes, she did recall what they'd discussed that morning. Perfectly. He told her that he couldn't lose her again, true. But she'd also been the one to remind him that she wasn't going to be pushed to the sidelines anymore. She was going to be there with him, they worked better together, and what better way to prove it, than by being together?

He heaved an irritated sigh, clearly he remembered what they'd discussed as well. And she could see the look of regret in his eyes because he hadn't fought her on her bold declaration that morning. Not fighting back was as good as agreeing to a pronouncement in his eyes. One look and she knew that he was wishing he had argued with her. "At least wait outside the vault..." he suggested, but she was already shaking her head, "stay with Henry, until we can contain Pan, until it's safe."

"No."

"Belle!"

"No! How do you know it won't be safer inside the vault? You can't be sure he'll even be there! It's safer when you're around. It's always safer when we're together!"

"Belle, please," she wanted to argue again as they pulled up next to other cars at the graveyard, but something about the way he said please stopped her. Begging was not usually in his bag of tricks, it wasn't in his nature or his personality. In fact the only time she could remember him really begging her for anything was for her to go back to library after Hook stole Bae's shawl. It signaled extreme anxiety, he was as desperate as he could be. "He knows about Bae and Henry. He knows what you are to me and he knows he can use you to hurt me. Don't make me have to choose between you or Henry."

She was almost always impressed and even fascinated at how well they knew each other. Other times, like now, she almost wished they didn't. He knew exactly what to say in order to tug on her heartstrings and keep her out of that vault. Even worse, what he was asking was a fair point and a choice she would never in her life force him to make…she just wouldn't be able to live with herself.

"Okay," she conceded quietly.

"Please!"

"Alright!" she insisted again loudly, a harsh word telling him she got the message. "I'll wait outside until you say it's safe but not a moment longer," she agreed then got out of the car and slammed the door behind her. She wasn't angry, frustrated, maybe, but not angry. Just disappointed that she wouldn't be able to help yet again, that she was a weakness, instead of a source of strength and bravery.

"Did you reach Regina?" she called across the truck hood to Emma, who still had her phone pressed to her ear.

"Not yet. I'm still trying," she informed her as she hung up and tried again.

"We're in the right place," David called making a motion to the car parked beside the truck, "that's her car." Her car being here was only good for them, it meant that Rumple had guessed correctly. But the fact that they knew where she was didn't fix the fact that Regina was non-responsive on her phone. She wouldn't say anything, not out loud because she didn't want to worry Henry, but she knew it was not a good sign.

"Regina's still not answering," Emma responded with worry in her voice as they made their way across the dark cemetery. There were people at the vault, gathered around the door, one looking as if he might be listening intently hoping to hear something. Neal and the woman she could only assume was "Tink", the person she'd never heard of who had gone with Neal to look for the shadow. And the third member of their small shadow hunting party, much to her displeasure, Hook.

"When we find Pan," she heard Henry say, distracting her, "remember he's still in my body, so if you have to throw a fireball or something, at least avoid the face," he requested nervously.

"I'll do my best," he muttered. He was serious, but there was the smallest hint of something else in his voice. Amusement, like he had to try his best to hold in a happy laugh despite the circumstances. It was good. It meant that he didn't just love his grandson, he liked Henry.

The people at the door turned as they finally heard their feet shuffling through the dead leaves. "Is that really you?" Neal called out, relieved.

"Dad!" Henry shouted before running forward and embracing his father. Neal glanced up over Henry's shoulder and looked between the pair of them, gratefully.

"Did you find the shadow?" David asked.

"Not yet," Tink informed him almost bitterly.

"But we'll be ready for him when we do," Hook concluded holding up…a coconut?

"It's Pan we should be concerned about now," Rumple corrected as Hook handed the object off to Bae. "Why are we still up here?" he demanded looking at the vault and finally stepping forward.

"It's locked up tight," Neal answered with a useless gesture toward the doors.

"Really," he muttered skeptically. She reached out and rubbed a comforting hand over Henry's shoulder as she watched him raise his arm. Even beneath his many layers she could see muscles and tendons tense and flex. And even if she couldn't see his face, his concentration practically hung around him in a haze. And unfortunately it appeared to be useless as he suddenly let his hand drop as though he'd been burned.

"Told ya," Neal commented.

"Fair enough, this is gonna take some time," he responded, stepping forward and trying again.

She glanced over to see Emma wandering away, coming to rest at a tree. Henry made a motion to go to her, but Mary Margaret and David had already taken on the job and she reached out to grab Henry's shoulder. Emma didn't exactly look confident, she seemed overwhelmed, if anything, and he didn't need any more to worry about. "Its fine," she told him with a smile.

"Why do adults always lie? It's not fine!"

"Nah, it's okay," she looked over to see Ba-Neal had joined their conversation. "It's just a hiccup. We made it out of Neverland, right? This is cake," he lied for her.

It was a terrible time for it, really it was, with everything going on surely the warm feeling that she had growing in her belly, the revelation beginning to spin through her head would be welcome some other time. But as she looked at the people gathered before her she couldn't help but feel as though she was right where she belonged. It was strange, they weren't married, not yet at least, she knew that, but she also knew that she felt as though they already were. And that made his family hers as well. She was only just beginning to wonder what she and Neal could possibly be, she hadn't considered yet that now she was related to Henry! And Snow White, David, Emma. She was even related to the Evil Queen and, in some twisted and odd way, she would always have some strange connection to Hook as well. No, none the people around her were related by blood, but no matter what their past with her, no matter their history or their deeds, she felt bound to them, just as she did to Rumple...just as she once had to her father. The tie was different, but the connection was still there. It was-

Suddenly a loud bang made her look at the doors to the vault swinging open, chasing the warm feeling away. He'd done it! He'd broken in.

"Shall we?" he asked striding forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another straightforward chapter that pretty much existed exclusively to get me to the graveyard so that I could write the next chapter. It's going to be awesome, another Belle/Neal moment. I hope that everyone thinks I've got Neal's character right in this. I feel like he came fairly easily to me, but you never know. Please don't hesitate to let me know if something is off with him. i rely on that stuff more than ya'll could ever know!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	39. The Past Can Come Back to Haunt You

The second the doors were open he practically ran up the stairs and disappeared down another set built into the earth. The Charmings followed eagerly and Henry made the attempt to go in after them but she was able to throw her arm around him just in time to keep him where he was.

"It's safer out here, Buddy, just wait for now," Neal urged, placing a hand against his chest and helping to hold the boy back. Henry opened his mouth to argue but Emma's voice suddenly rose, echoing off the rock in the hallow tomb "we're all clear down here!"

Henry took a step forward. "Just wait until we know what's happening-"

"Mom's down there, she might be hurt! She needs me!" cleverly, he was able to dodge his father and took long quick strides into the small tomb. He watched him go, the air leaving his lungs as he watched him looking concerned and overwhelmed by his sons actions. Rumple wasn't the only one that was over protective of his loved ones. Forgetting the fact that she was allowed to go in if it was safe, she reached out a hand and laid it against Neal's arm. She might not be able to help with Regina or Henry, but easing worries came easily enough to her.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," she muttered confidently. Rumple was there, he wouldn't let anyone touch Henry. It wasn't an assumption. It was a fact.

"Aye," Hook confirmed standing with Tink away from the pair of them. "It takes an idiot to cross the Dark One and a damn foolish one to try and take something from him." He turned and met her gaze suddenly, giving her a knowing grin that made her stomach drop nervously. "How's the shoulder, love?" She felt her jaw clench as she took a small step away from the pirate.

"Fine," she muttered harshly, recalling the moment he'd shot her. Of course he'd bring up the last time something had come between the pair of them. His encounters with Rumple hadn't exactly been fruitful, but they hadn't been entirely useless, and he had left Rumple scarred in some way each time, yet he had never walked away completely triumphant either. She, or rather Lacey, had to fight the urge to walk over and smack him, but there was something to his words that held her back. No...not his words, it was his tone. He hadn't said the words in a threatening way, or even in a rude or cruel way. He'd said it almost as if it was a joke. Like he was acknowledging some foolishness on behalf of himself. _It takes an idiot to cross the Dark One and a damn foolish one to try and take something from him._ Did that mean...was he chastising himself!

The pirate certainly didn't seem the kind to come right out and apologize for something, and frankly she still didn't think he felt bad about it. He seemed to be the type of person that never took back anything he'd ever done...but did that mean that he was incapable of acknowledging he'd done something wrong of calling himself or a past action foolish? And what about her? He wasn't apologizing, what was she supposed to do with what he'd just said to her? Was she ready to forgive him...no! No, it was still too fresh, too raw! The memories she had in her head of herself and that horrible sheriff were seared into her memory. If something had happened that night, if Rumple hadn't found them...

She shook her head and swallowed the angry lump in her throat so she could talk again. "How's your head?" she snapped back at him, happy that her voice didn't break as she recalled the moment she'd hit him with the oar.

He smiled another of his toothy grins and avoided her gaze, choosing to look up at the stars instead. As much as it appeared that he wanted to laugh, angry as that smirk made her, she had the strangest feeling that they were somehow both seeing things eye to eye. No, she wasn't ready to forgive the pirate, but that didn't mean that she was going to pretend he wasn't real, wasn't here! That didn't mean she was going to jeopardize herself or anyone around them, much less Henry just because she didn't like the scoundrel. She couldn't forgive him for Lacey yet, she might not ever be, but she could move on. She could acknowledge, as he seemed to, that stupid mistakes had been made and there was something going on that was bigger than their issues.

"Heads fine," he responded finally, "it's my heart I spend the most time worrying about these days."

"Hey!" Neal yelled so suddenly she jumped. "You think maybe you can keep it to yourself until we find Pan and put a stop to all this!" He made a long threatening stride in Hooks direction. Her instincts flared and no matter what was happening, no matter what he thought of her, or why that comment had set Baelfire off she found herself standing in from of him pushing against his chest so he'd change coarse and calm down. The last thing they needed was a fight. "Sorry!" Bae exclaimed suddenly coming to his senses, turning away from the pirate and putting his hands in the air as he seemed to fight to control himself. "Sorry," he repeated taking a few deep breaths. That was a difference between father and son she hadn't noticed before. Anger management abilities. Rumple would never have been able to do that so quickly, even with her there it would have taken a lot more. And he certainly never would have apologized for the outburst. Though, in all honesty, she didn't know who the "sorry" was meant for.

She grabbed Neal's sleeve and walked a few steps away from the pirate with him, putting distance between the boys as he struggled to collect himself, looking genuinely surprised that he'd said what he'd said. She was happy Hook and Tink didn't follow, or goad him on. She wasn't positive what the comment was about but he was dealing with enough right now he didn't need more. Henry was the priority and she knew from watching Rumple the bad decisions that could be made because of worry.

"He'll figure this out," she told him as he shuffled in a small circle, rubbing his hand down his face nervously. "He will. We'll find Pan, we'll put Henry back in his own body, and we'll stop all of this."

He nodded, but it was more a nod of hopefulness, wanting to believe what she said would be true rather than truly agreeing with her. "I just hope we stop it sooner rather than later this time," he admitted quietly, pacing like a caged animal with too much energy.

"We will. He won't let anything happen to Henry. "

He stopped suddenly, glanced over at her as if he'd just realized that she was standing there. "You know," he muttered coming to stand before her, looking suddenly sober, "you have a lot of trust in my father. Considering his reputation, his history, most people wouldn't."

"I'm not most people," she responded, recognizing a test of character when she saw it, even if Bae didn't recognize his curiosity for what it was. "He's determined," she explained, "and when he's determined there is very little that will stop him from reaching his goal. And that includes you and me."

He eyed her skeptically for a minute, looking her over as if he could find a flaw in her logic and thinking if given enough time. "Sounds to me like you're uniquely understanding," he finally stated. "Maybe too understanding..."

Uniquely understanding? That was one way to put it, she supposed. Hopelessly in love was another. But she supposed, considering all that he had said, uniquely understanding was correct as well. Of all the people in the world, in the Enchanted Forrest, it was her that had been able to look beyond the monsters mask to the man beneath. It would always be her. "Your father may be the Dark One, but he's also the only man I've ever loved," she concluded boldly with a smile, knowing full well the problems that fate would have in store for them just because of those two facts. So long as she could have him at the end of the day, she really didn't care. So long as they were together, she'd happily continue to be "uniquely understanding", as he'd put it. "I have to be understanding."

"No, you know that's actually the impressive thing," he argued, dropping that same mask she'd seen earlier and glancing around with a smile, like he couldn't believe he was having this conversation, "You don't," he stated.

She wanted to be amazed, to bask in the happy realization that they might actually be bonding, but before she could get in another word there were steps at the vault and people suddenly began spilling out of it, marching as if on a mission. Regina was one of them. Henry was not.

Emma glanced over at Bae with her arm on Henry's back. "We have a very serious problem," she informed them.

"What?" she asked confused. Going into the vault was supposed to give them more answers, get them closer to a solution not create more problems. "What's happening?"

"Pan's gone," Mary Margaret stated shortly, "he stole the curse." The curse?

"Curse?" Tink questioned. "What curse?"

"The curse that brought everyone to this land," Regina explained with an angry grimace. "We think Pan wants to cast it again."

"Cast it again?!" Her stomach dropped as she tried to understand, tried to fathom, what was going on and what had happened down in that vault. Her eyes sought Rumple, who was the last one out, looking for some sort of confirmation or denial, a look of the eye that would tell her it was okay or that it was alright to panic, something, anything! But he merely made a gesture to the doors behind him as the group gathered around.

"That will need sealed tight," he ordered, looking at Regina. "We can't risk Pan coming back for anything he might need. It won't stop him but it might slow him down."

"It's happening again," Mary Margaret stated dully, as if she might believe it more the more she said it.

"Gold," Emma interrupted, "this curse, is it gonna work like the last one?"

"The last one was created to service the Queens wishes," he answered obediently with a sigh, "this will be done per Pan's design." She felt as though there was no air. It wasn't the words that scared her, it was him. It was the way he swayed, the way his fingers fidgeted on the cane, and the way he was looking at the ground. It was true. All true. And even if she didn't know or understand the particulars, if he was as nervous as he looked, she knew it was bad. "I would count on something hellish," he concluded. Hellish. She felt her mouth go dry with the pronouncement as fear began to crawl through her body. How bad could it get? Lacey bad? Or worse?

"The curse was built to be unstoppable," Regina added, "there's nothing that can be done."

"Well it is possible to stop it," he corrected, glancing at her and Neal with a look that made her feel worse than she already was. Very bad. But was it worse than she was picturing? Worse than what had caused the nightmares of small rooms and black-haired women laughing at her through a small window?!

"What?!" Regina exclaimed.

"By using the scroll itself," he looked to Regina, to the others, but his eyes kept falling on them. What was he hiding? What was he not telling the others but silently trying to communicate to them? What was really going on? "It can only be undone by the person who used the scroll. That's you, Regina."

"What do I have to do?"

"You must destroy the scroll. Both your curse and his shall be ended, but know this," he paused, "there will be a price. A steep one," he warned.

"Well, what do you suggest?" she asked.

"Instead of going to him, bring him to us with a spell, one that will return Pan and Henry to their own bodies."

"But if I'm back in my own body that means I'll have the scroll, I-I can bring it to you guys," Henry pointed out, catching on.

"Exactly right, Henry."

"Even you aren't powerful enough to cast such a spell," Regina pointed out. She felt like her brain wasn't working right, like she was struggling to keep up with the conversation, to chase away her terrified thoughts! A price. A plan. And him. Him! Not powerful enough?!

"Well, given the proper tool I could be." The possibility of salvation brought her back to reality quickly. A tool that could make him stronger, magic stronger than his! She didn't want to know what magic was more powerful than his own...but if it fixed all this, if it made sure that they didn't all become mindless slaves to Pan's wishes, it might be their only hope.

"The Black Fairy's Wand," Tink muttered suddenly, as if she was just recalling some past memory and hadn't meant to speak aloud. And for good reason! As every eye turned to Tink, she sought out the eyes of Rumple and Neal. Did Neal know who the Black Fairy was? That they were related? Did anyone here besides her and Rumple know they were related? No, if their looks of confusion were genuine, no one besides her knew. "One of the most powerful Fairies that ever existed," Tink explained louder, "well versed in dark magic. The Blue Fairy exiled her, but before she did, she took her wand."

"I assume our dearly departed Superior Mother had it hidden at her residence."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" David questioned, obviously prepared to carry out the plan they'd made. "Let's hit the convent."

"Can I come?!" Tink asked eagerly. "I should pay my respects to Blue after all."

"Then it's settled," Rumple concluded. "The rest of us should get back to my shop and prepare Henry for the spell." The crowd broke up. Each person deciding where they were going to go and what they needed to do and making arrangements for family. It happened so fast, the news, the plan, the motions, she felt like she'd been knocked off her feet!

"I'm going to the convent," Bae muttered beside her as Rumple made his way back over to them.

"Be safe," she requested quietly, still too shocked to speak any louder than she just had.

But he heard her. He threw her a glance back and offered a friendly and genuine "you, too" under his breath before walking off after Tink. She should have been ecstatic at that small gesture. Small as it was, it was a long way off from where they'd begun today, or where they'd been yesterday. But as she wrapped her hand around Rumple's arm, finding she needed it for support, she realized that Bae's remark was telling of the situation at hand. He was worried, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Another Belle/Neal moment! I hope that you enjoy it. I know it's small but again I feel like it's something that was just enough to put them on the right track. There is more to come but it won't be terribly focused on until Moments Exchanged, which I hope that everyone will read despite the fact that it's not really a Rumbelle fiction.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	40. In the Details

It was remarkable how quickly people cleared out of the cemetery. They didn't waste time and it seemed to be only a matter of seconds, from the time he'd pronounced his plan and collected her on his arm, that they were folded into the car and pulling out. But they didn't go where she thought they would. She'd been expecting him to turn right, to follow the two cars the girls were in back to town, but instead he went left and sped away from them.

"We're not going back to the shop?" she asked, glancing behind her at the car carrying Neal fading into the dark night.

"No," he answered dully, "there's something I need from the house first." His voice was deep, lifeless, and his answers were quick and short. It was the tone that she associated with him being far more worried than he could admit, that place where he allowed himself to live only in the present on instinct, because if he didn't the weight of emotions he felt might crush him. She would have asked him "why" or if he was okay, but there was no point. She knew he wasn't okay, frankly she didn't expect him to be. And as for why, well she understood that easily enough. What she didn't understand was what he was keeping at the house. She'd gone over every inch of that place, what magic was there that he was planning on using?!

"What would you keep at the house that you wouldn't want in your shop?"

"Magic that I didn't want to end up in the wrong hands. Not even by accident. Magic I needed to find Bae." Finding Bae. No wonder she'd never spotted item's like that in the house. They were in the one place she'd never been able to access, or, frankly, honestly never wanted to enough to try. When they pulled up to the big house, she wasn't surprised when he led the way into the back, through a hallway with a single door that had always been kept locked. The door to the basement. There was a bookshelf next to it and she watched as he carefully plucked one of the treasures from it and gave the object a violent shake. A key fell out of the pages and landed softly in the palm of his hand.

"My only copy," he explained handing it too her. "You can add it to your collection." If the tension hadn't been so high she might have taken the time to thank him, to celebrate the barriers he was breaking down even in the midst of panic, but it simply wasn't the time.

"You keep an extra key right next to the lock?" she questioned instead. It was unlike him for something he wanted to protect so thoroughly.

"It's only the physical lock. It's required but not enough to open the door," he explained pulling his own set out. He unlocked the door then reached out and extended his hand for her. "I need your hand. I have to do this quickly or else it'll burn." Despite the warning he'd given she placed her hand in his. He held it under his own as he placed it on the knob. It felt warm to the touch but grew hot in only a fraction of a second. She glanced up to tell him but saw that his eyes were closed in a look of extreme concentration on his face. A moment later, he opened his eyes the knob felt as if it had just been doused in ice water. "There," he pulled her hand away and examined it, she assumed for the burns that never formed, but covered it when he was certain she wasn't injured. "It'll always open for you now. As will the one outside."

She opened her mouth but before she could get a word out he'd opened the door and made his way down the wooden steps. It looked just as she remembered it that night she'd spied him hiding away. A spinning wheel, tables simply covered with magical items, and, what she hadn't noticed, old bookshelves stocked full of books in languages she hadn't seen since they'd left the Enchanted Forrest. Books she hadn't seen since she'd last dusted in his work tower. He grabbed one and opened it, immediately turning to a certain page and letting his eyes scan the paper.

"Do I want to know what is in that?" she asked, remembering what he described he'd kept here.

"Nothing happy."

Her stomach turned. She had access to "nothing happy." She almost wished that she didn't. Almost. Diving back into dark magic, especially as deeply as she suspected he'd have to go, was a terrifying thought. But there was good here too. She was here now, he'd told her the honest truth, maybe not with detail, but he certainly wasn't hiding anything. If she wanted to know what was in that book, he'd tell her. Right now, she'd rather focus on the good in the room rather than the bad.

"Thank you for not lying about it," she muttered.

"It makes little sense to lie to the one person who could see straight through it. Besides," he sighed finally glancing up at her with a fraction of the man she loved peering out from behind his mask, "I have no desire to hide anything from you, not anymore." He turned and glanced at the table behind him with careful eyes as she smirked at the comment. It was about time. "I need some other items," he muttered absent-mindedly. Her stomach did another roll. She was certain that the things on that table held just as much happiness as the book did. She wanted to help, but she knew nothing about what he was doing and suspected she'd only be in the way.

"I'm, uh..." she glanced around wondering if there was anything that she could do while she was here. The only thing her eyes fell on was the clothing she was wearing. They were tight, confining, her heels were delicate, when she'd left this morning she hadn't exactly planned on there being danger in town. She couldn't be positive about what was to come today, but she knew she had to be prepared for anything. If she needed to run, this was not something she needed to have on. "I'm going upstairs to change."

"No!" he shouted, glancing up from where he'd begun to gather vials of multi-colored liquids. "Stay here, with me, please."

"I'll only be a minute," she called, already at the top of the stairs.

"Belle!" she ignored him and continued up the stairs into their bedroom. She wasn't going to take long she just needed something to run in. Something to run in? She didn't have sneakers or tennis shoes. But what she'd worn yesterday was sitting right there in the hamper, it was easy and accessible, and those shoes were easier to move in than anything else she owned-

"Rumple!" she jumped coming out of the closet as he strode into the room. "You scared me," she complained, clutching her chest, trying to get her heart to settle after the shock passed.

"Don't walk away!" he snarled through gritted teeth, "not at a time like this!" She looked him over, observing the look of near anger and fear on his face, more than what was called for in this situation when she'd just gone to change. There was something he wasn't telling her and if she was going out there, if she had to run from something, she wanted to know what she was running from and why.

"What aren't you telling me?" she asked, quickly stripping and changing as she talked, there was no time to waste. "You're being far more protective than you usually are, there's a reason for that. What is it?"

He sighed and did as he did best, walked away. "I just want you close until we catch him." He wandered into the closet and made himself busy, picking up on her cue and changing clothes, although unlike her necessity she suspected it was more to simply give himself something to do.

"Rumple!" she snapped, he hadn't answered her. Not the way that he should have. "Tell me what is going on. What is the Shadow everyone is talking about? Why aren't you telling me?" she asked again, pulling her hair free and removing the scarf. No need to give Pan something easy to strangle her with.

"I assumed you already knew," he muttered, "you have read the tales in your library on Peter Pan, haven't you."

"Yes, and in the stories Pan's shadow caused mischief but nothing more!"

"This shadow isn't Pan's," he responded with the anger finally rising in his voice. She was alright with it, he wasn't angry at her, just at his father and the situation he'd once again put him in. Sometimes yelling could be therapeutic...especially for him. "It was in Neverland long before he was, but it does take orders from him. It's crossed realms for him for hundreds of years, doing Pan's bidding and, if he requests it, that darkness won't hesitate to kill you."

"And how exactly would a Shadow go about killing a person?" she asked sternly, matching his tone.

He sighed, a muscled twitched in his jaw. She held his gaze, unwilling to give up. "It will tear yours from your body," he hissed, the fear of that possibility flaring behind his gaze. "Whether under Pan's orders or its own blood lust, you won't survive." She took a moment to absorb that information. No, she didn't need to absorb it...it was already there. Emma had told her that the shadow had killed the Blue Fairy, had torn her shadow from her, she just hadn't understood it then. No, it definitely wasn't the Shadow her books spoke about playfully. But neither was Pan. They were a two-fold threat they didn't need at the moment. He needed to be working on the way to switch Henry and Pan back into their own bodies, to stop the curse, not babysitting her as she knew he'd want to do!

"Is there no way to stop it? No way to fight back, to keep it away?"

"Yes," he responded as if the answer was obvious. "Stay close until it's caught, until this is over!" he stressed. "Don't isolate yourself and become an easy target!"

Now she didn't like the tone of his voice. He was parenting again, just as he had before Neverland, and while she'd always been bothered by these rare occasions this time she resented that he was doing it with the wrong person. "You should have told this to Baelfire before he wandered off in search of the Shadow! Not me!"

"Baelfire's never given me reason to suspect he'd go off on his own when his life is in danger," he countered staring her down. She clenched her jaw together in anger. That particular comment had a lot of weight to it. She didn't like that he apparently didn't trust her to keep herself safe...but he had a point, she hadn't exactly given him a good example in the past. She'd gone off after Hook, helped a werewolf, been kidnapped by her father, and gotten herself captured by Regina, and Michael and John! But it didn't mean she hadn't learned her lesson. She wasn't a child or a liability but that was an argument to be had later, after all this was over.

"Baelfire is with other's seeking out the Shadow," he pointed out shrugging into a new jacket, "he spent time in Neverland and knows the danger. Bae is safe...you're the one I'm concerned with at the moment. If he comes after you-"

"How would the Shadow know to come after me in the first place?" she interrupted, the question jumping out of her mouth before she'd even really had time to think about it. But now that she'd said it, it was a decent question that she wanted answered.

"I would hardly think that needs explaining."

"No, not 'why'!" she corrected, knowing how his mind worked and what he would say to get around it. They didn't have time to dance around this. "I understand why! What I don't understand is 'how'. How would he know about me? Baelfire was with you in Neverland, the Shadow knows who he is, he should be the target! How would the Shadow even know to come after me if he doesn't know I exist?" His face betrayed him, the way he looked off into the corner of the room, the way she could see how hard he was thinking in order to tell her something he quite obviously didn't want to. Another detail he'd left out. But there was only one way that she could think of that for the Shadow to know of her existence. But it didn't make sense to her because it wasn't something that she could see him ever doing.

"You told the Shadow?!" she assumed.

"NO!" he shouted, "I would never do that! You know, I'd never put you in the sight of something as bloodthirsty as that creature!"

"So then how else could he know about me?!"

"I don't know!" he yelled, loud enough for her to know the she could be silent. She'd pushed him to the brink of his tolerance and he was ready to bend. He ran a tired, frustrated hand over his face. The floodgates would open all on their own, just as soon as he got control of himself, he'd answer her questions. "I can't be sure how he knows about you, there are too many possibilities, but what's important is that he does. He knows how you look, he knows how you sound, how you talk. He knows what you are to me and how I feel about you. And in Neverland, Pan was able to use that knowledge to conjure a vision of you, to use you against me!"

She sank onto the bed, open mouthed, as the words smacked into her. There was so much she'd had to take in today, this was just one more thing and she wasn't sure she could handle anymore let alone something like...well, something like that! A vision. A vision of her. A vision of her that Pan had used her to hurt him. Just as Regina had used her. Just as Hook had used her! This happened far too often for her liking! She hated the feeling, hated knowing people could do that to the pair of them so easily, but she also hated the fact that she was always the last to find out about it.

"You told me you didn't want to hide anything from me anymore," she pointed out, trying to remain calm despite the terror that seemed to be hanging over them like a cloud. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? This morning? When you told me about Pan?"

"I wasn't trying to withhold it from you," he whispered, regret in his voice. "I just didn't think it was one of the important things you had to know about right away. I would have gotten around to it eventually-"

"You should have told me," she insisted.

"Belle..." he sighed, reluctantly taking a seat on the bed next to her. She could feel him itching to leave. He was torn, between wanting to solve this quickly and get to town before anyone else, but also stay and tell her everything as he'd promised he would. "Sweetheart, I have lived hundreds of years," he stated matter-of-factly, "I can't just sit down and tell you everything that has happened in my life in one sitting."

She nodded, reminding herself that she'd passed up the opportunity to ask him questions that morning for that very reason. She hadn't wanted to upset him, to make it worse than it already was. They had time to talk about it...at least they had time this morning. Now, if they didn't stop Pan...

"You're right, I know, I just..." memories flooded her mind, invaded her body, made her skin crawl, and her stomach turn over. The tiny cell. The endless days of knowing nothing, begging for information. Tight, short skirts. Keith's hands on her body and his mouth...

"Rumple," tears came to her eyes and she felt her throat swell as she realized what might be her reality again if Pan's curse succeeded. "If the curse comes to pass-"

"It won't," he insisted.

"But if it does-"

"It won't! We're going to fix this."

She only shook her head, wishing she could get those detailed images out of her head forever. "Rumple, I can't go back. I can't do it again," she admitted, the joints in her arms locking as she gripped the bed and rocked forward nervously. The possibility made her sick. "I can't be cursed again. I can't be Lacey. I'd rather have no memories at all than be her again. But even if I have no memories, if everything resets itself...I've nothing to go back to but a padded cell. I can't do it, I can't be Lacey and I can't be crazy."

"You won't be!" he insisted, placing a soothing hand on the back of her neck. She remembered the nightmares, her time as Lacey, she couldn't imagine something worse than going back to any of that. But then again, if what he'd said at the grave was true and Pan would recreate the world into something "hellish", she didn't want to know what he'd have in store for her, or Bae. Especially if he wanted to hurt him. Lacey could look like a nun and insanity in a locked room might seem like a pleasant vacation.

The hand at her neck guided her body against his shoulder, like he used to when she woke up in this room screaming from the nightmares brought on from her terrible time locked away. "You won't," he whispered, settling his own nerves, making a promise to himself, just as much as her. "I won't let it happen. You'll be safe, Baelfire and Henry as well. The three of you are the greatest motivation I have to succeed. Alright?" She swallowed back her nerves, taking heart in his promise. He'd never let anything happen to her after he'd promised she'd be safe. No matter what happened tonight she could trust that...she could trust him.

"I believe you," she muttered, melting against his shoulder, trying hard to collect herself.

"Good," he muttered. "He'll only take you from me over my dead body."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I know it seems odd not to send them back to the shop with the others...but am I the only one to notice that Belle and Rumple changed clothes when no one else did? And for Belle especially...she just put on what she's been wearing the day before! I had to get them back to their house to change and I wanted them to have this conversation about the shadow. Plus, this conversation gave me a good use for foreshadowing! I hope it's acceptable!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	41. Trusting the Darkness

"We can't stay here any longer," he muttered after a moment. She knew, she understood. As much as she wanted to stay until she felt completely secure again, hide away from the world with him and Baelfire until the danger had passed, that simply wasn't an option. Not for them. They'd be safe. All of them. He'd worked so hard to have a happy ending he wasn't going to let Pan stand in his way now that it was so close. And that meant that she needed to be strong, to trust him as she always had. Motivation like that, he was bound to succeed.

She reached out, placed her hand against his cheek to draw him to her and kissed him, pulling all the comfort and promise out of it that she could. "We're going to fix this," she muttered, just as much to herself as to him, "and we're going to come back here, and finish that!" And if she said it enough, then maybe she'd get rid of the horrible feeling in her stomach and believe that it would really be that simple.

"I love you," he assured her as he nodded and kissed her forehead.

"And I love you, too," she responded predictably. And the next time she said those words, this would all be over, they'd be safe. All of them. Henry. Neal. The Charmings. Even Regina and Hook. And they would be too, she needed to believe that. And though she couldn't read his mind, she suspected he was thinking the same thing too.

They left without a word, their tasks accomplished. She wore clothes she could move in and there was a bag at the bottom of the stairs, filled with, what she assumed, were the tools he'd collected from the basement, waiting for him. They didn't speak in the dark night, but she did take notice of the way his eyes swept the world around them as they made their way into the car, the way he kept his hand around her waist and pulled her close to him, not even allowing her to go to the other side but instead holding open his own door for her to move across the seat. He was on alert. Looking for a darkness against the dark.

They made it to town without incident. He parked on the street, instead of behind the Rabbit Hole, like usual, and held his grip on her as they walked the short distance into the store. No one was there yet, something that surprised her. She knew where part of the group had gone, looking for the shadow, but she didn't know where the truck with Emma and Snow and the car with Regina and Henry had gone. She opened her mouth to ask about it the minute they stepped into the back room but stopped herself as he began to spread the items he'd brought out over the table. As easy as it would be to worry, there might not be any need. Each group had at least one cell phone on them, if there was a problem she was certain they'd be alerted to it immediately. Things were not "better" by any stretch of the imagination even with the plan in place, but the least she could do was not imagine things to be worse than they actually were.

"Do you need anything?" she asked glancing around for something, anything to do to keep her hands busy.

"No," he sighed, placing the empty bag away under the table. "There are a few things I need to remind myself about concerning the curse and the black wand."

She swallowed hard as she looked over the books before him. The Black Wand, his mother's wand. It was a topic they'd not touched upon since her time in the castle, mostly because she had made and kept her deal that if he took baby Gideon back home, or allowed her to, then she wouldn't mention it again.

But now wasn't then. Everything from their relationship to their situation had changed. And she felt it would more wrong to ignore it, than to actually break their deal after all these years.

"Are you okay with what you have to do?" she questioned looking over the books.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he mummbled looking over his books. She stared at him unflinching. He was actually going to make her say it wasn't he?

"After the last time you met...and your relationship being what it is-"

"I won't be upset if that's what you mean," he inserted. "This is hardly a time for petty childhood grudges."

"It's hardly a grudge Rumple! She's...she's your mother! And after what she did to you are you really okay using her wand to-"

"Of course," he whispered lightly. "It's one of the perks of our relationship, why I can use the wand for this spell. Blood recognizes blood."

"No, Rumple..." she sighed this time tugging him away to look at her. "If you do this will _you_ be alright?"

Looking into her eyes he seemed to finally understand or maybe just concede to what she was asking and gave a stiff nodd. "I'll be fine once my father is under control. And so long as you remain at my side."

She managed a smile of her own. "I won't leave," she declared reaching up on tip-toe to kiss him.

"You should rest," he suggested pulling the book she'd seen him collect in the basement toward him and opening it.

Rest? He said the word so easily, like it was the simplest and most obvious thing she could do. But it wasn't. It may have been dark out, the cot may have seemed comfortable enough in the middle of the night like this, but she simply wasn't tired. "I don't know if I can."

"Just try," he insisted gently, "I'll be here all night, and it's hard to tell when you'll get an opportunity to again." He was right. How long would Pan draw this out? How long would the consequences of his scheme influence their life? She glanced at the cot, but its call just wasn't loud enough to be heard over the pounding of her heart. Rest? How could she at a time like this? Despite the sleepless nights she'd experienced before he'd gotten home, she'd slept well last night. She could go a day without, find some other way to disperse her nervous energy.

"I think I'd rather clean something." He glanced up at her, there was fear in his eyes but it was only partly to do with what was happening outside of these walls. It was a much simpler fear. With cleaning came organizing, and the last thing he wanted was for her to reorder the items in his precious shop when he might need them most. The brief flash of normalcy among the terror nearly made her burst out laughing. "Don't worry," she smiled, managing to contain it and remember the dire situation at hand. "I won't move anything and I won't leave the shop. I just need something to do with my hands."

As if he was almost embarrassed by what his eyes had revealed he glanced back down into the book quickly, muttering only "I trust you." Trust. Not something easily gained with him. But she was honored to possess it. It wasn't something she would easily give up, not for anything in the world.

It was a strange twist. For once it was her working and him doing the reading. He didn't have much to actually clean with, but she knew where the broom was, and the strategic sweeping she did seemed to calm her mind...or at least take it off what was happening and what he was reading about. If only until there was a bang on the door. She jumped as she looked up through the window and saw Emma, Mary Margaret, Regina, and Henry standing at the front door. They'd tried to open it and knocked when they discovered it was locked.

She set the broom aside and let them into the store. "Sorry we're late," Emma said rushing in and leading the group into the back room. Why bother locking the door? If Pan wanted to get into this shop a locked door wasn't going to stop him. "Regina thought of something and we had to check it out. Gold!" She followed after the foursome as they made their way into the back room as fast as they could. What else had they discovered? "Felix is gone."

He glanced up from the book he was reading but his face showed no signs of surprise. In fact he almost looked bored with the news, as if he'd expected it all along. "Well, of course he is, Miss Swan," he sighed turning his attention back to the task at hand. "The question is: has her majesty explained to you why that is?"

All eyes turned to Regina and looked at her with suspicion. Except, of course for Regina, who simply glanced at him with shock. "I assumed it would be you he came for! What with your...history and all..."

"Not likely," he muttered. "Felix was always the far more suitable candidate, though your concern is touching."

"Wait," Emma interjected. "What are we talking about? Why is Felix missing?" The group looked toward him, but when he didn't even bother to glance up at them and looked instead to Regina, who glared at him as if annoyed he was actually going to make her say it.

"The curse requires the heart of the thing the caster loves most," she explained.

Mary Margaret's jaw dropped. "That's why your father isn't in Storybrooke!"

"You killed your own father?!" Emma gasped.

"I did what I had to do, that is not the point now! The point is what or who Pan used to cast this curse! I assumed…" she gave a gesture toward Rumple, who still was swallowed up in his busy work, though she suspected he was more than aware of the conversation they were having. Regina had assumed the heart of what Pan loved most would have been his son, Rumpelstiltskin. But Felix? The lost boy she'd seen? Pan cherished a loyal subject over his own son?! She was happy for that in a way, obviously he'd known this and it was what gave them the opportunity to stay away from Pan longer. But the implications behind that made her stomach twist into knots. No matter what, it had to feel like a knife in the back to him, it would for anyone.

"Well, Felix is gone," Emma finished. "We've accounted for all the other lost boys. Gold, what do we do?"

"There's nothing to be done, Miss Swan!" he hissed with irritation. "Felix is gone and there is no chance of stopping Pan from casting the curse. Our only hope now rests with Regina and Henry. We remain here until the others retrieve the wand, in the meantime everything that can be done has been done. I know your skill in the art of patience is minimal but I think you'll find now is the perfect time to practice." He was on edge. Understandably. His father had betrayed him, in every way a father could. Her life was in danger, although less so now that there were more people around. His son was out hunting for a powerful dark wand. And to top it all off, there were people in his shop, his territory. People he never would have wanted unless under extreme duress, which she imagined he was in.

She wanted to help, to do something that might put him at ease and help him to relax, but the tension was unavoidable. He couldn't be distracted. The others seemed to sense that turn the conversation had taken and began to spread out. Emma collapsed onto the cot, hanging her head in her hands and looking completely exhausted. Mary Margaret sighed and took a long look around the room, as if searching for something to do, as she had. But it was Henry that startled her. He turned and in two long strides passed through the curtain and into the front room. "Henry!" Regina called following after him.

Emma made an effort to get up and go too but Mary Margaret grabbed her arm just in time. "Let her take care of it," she encouraged, "you have enough on your mind at the moment."

Rumple was looking up again, looking torn between wanting to go out and watch Regina in his shop or stay behind and read. She couldn't ease his tension, but she could do her best to make him comfortable as possible. He trusted her, if keeping an eye on Regina helped, then she'd babysit Regina.

With a small smile she followed the pair out into the main room of the shop. They were talking. Well, Regina was talking, Henry was nodding with wide, frightened eyes. She didn't want to spy, or make them uncomfortable, so instead she simply leaned against the wall behind the old metal register and glanced down to the floor.

"He can really do this right? I won't, like, end up in another world or something, right?"

"You'll be fine. Mr. Gold is just being careful, Henry, and you know I'd never let him lay a hand on you if I thought you were in danger," Regina soothed gently. Of course he was worried, this task was a lot to put on a boy his age. But as much as she couldn't decide what to think about Regina, in this moment even she had to admit, her concern for Henry, her ability to mother, was touching and undeniable.

"And he can really switch us back, just as he says?"

"I've never known him not to be able to uphold his end of the bargain."

"What about you?" She glanced up and looked toward the door, expecting to have seen someone else walking into the room. But they were still alone and Henry was looking at…her? Asking her opinion?! That strange familial feeling she'd had at the grave came rushing back to her and she couldn't help but feel some attachment, some affection for the boy she'd had so little interaction with up until today. "What do you think?" he asked her with desperation in his voice. "You trust him, right?!"

She smiled, trying to easy the boy's fears. She didn't know magic, not like he did, but she did know him. And she knew that it was her belief in him above all else that had set the cloaking spell and his faith in her that had gotten the box to Neverland. After he'd disclosed the information of Peter Pan and the Shadow, she knew that it was her utmost trust in his ability to protect her that hadn't sent her running away.

"I trust him with my life," she admitted, doing her best to ignore Regina's piercing gaze as she made her way over to him. "And I think I know him better than anyone, well enough to know that if he thinks he can do this, then he can. This will work! Trust me."

Henry nodded. He was clearly still uncertain, but he was at least willing to pretend to believe what she said was true. It was a sad truth, but she was much easier for the world to trust than him. Someday that would be different. But for now, if it helped chase away some of Henry's fears, she'd happily offer him that much. "Bravery isn't always as certain as it seems Henry. Sometimes...sometimes you have to do the brave thing first then hope that bravery is what follows. And it always does."

"Yeah, I know," he smirked, "I read that once in my book." Book? But before she could ask, Henry smirked and gave her a confused and awkward look. "Does this like, make you my grandmother, or something?"

The question threw her. Her mouth was open as she tried to find words, but she had no idea what to say! She'd thought about it, but really only for the first time that night at Regina's vault! She didn't even know what she'd thought about their strange family dynamic. Not yet! They weren't married, not yet, but she felt as though they were. Whether or not last nights conversation ever came to pass didn't matter. She felt as though they were more married than some real married couples she'd met! What that made her to Bae was still unexplored. What that made her to Henry...

"Let's worry about getting you back into your own body and stopping the curse first," Regina interrupted before she could say anything. "We can have a discussion about the details of your family tree later."

She never thought she'd ever be grateful for anything the woman could say, but she found herself smiling with relief that she didn't have to have that particular conversation yet. At the moment there were other, more important things to worry about. Like the black wand, and what exactly he was reading back there. Not to mention Neal still unaccounted for. She needed a distraction. He needed a distraction! All of them did. But they weren't going to find one, or take their minds off of their situation, by panicking.

"Come on," she put her arm around the boy and led him back into the room. "Let's see what the others are doing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, there is a good question floating around out there. Bae, Baelfire, or Neal. I'm using all three. Is it an accident? No. No it is not. I've already told you in previous fictions that names are important to Belle what she calls someone shows where they are in there relationship at the moment. With Neal...she's in transition. I think in her mind Baelfire/Bae is the son, the boy in a way and yes he's asked her to call him Neal instead but that is going to take some time getting used to. She will get to that point, to the point that she calls him exclusively Neal and that only makes the moments she switches back into calling him Bae more special because in the future it will be a special name to her. But for now, she's all over the place because she's transitioning and I can't wait until the next fiction to see what you think of what will happen to them!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	42. According to Plan

Nothing. The others were doing nothing. Nevertheless she gave Henry a smile as she brought him into the back room and sat him on the cot with Regina, trying to keep him calm. Rumple was still examining his book, right where she'd left him, although she notice that he wasn't so much examining it anymore as just glancing at it. He had what he needed, all he was doing now was being certain. Mary Margaret and Emma were having a conversation, it seemed. Whatever they were talking about, she seemed a little less frantic, a little less worried, than she'd last seen her as they admired a baby's mobile together.

"You doing okay, kid?" Emma asked, turning away from their conversation and back to her son.

"Yeah, I'm just...ready to be me again," he muttered with a low nervous tone and deep swallow.

"Not much longer now, Henry," Rumple stated, still without looking up at them, "not much longer." She couldn't help but glare at him. Those words didn't sound reassuring, they sounded menacing. She knew he was stressed, nervous, and worried, but they didn't. And while she knew that his words came from a good place and were meant to help Henry, he was just too unfamiliar with his particular breed of compassion to be comforted by them. Fortunately, as if he could feel her eyes, he finally did put the book away, looked at his visitors, and made his way toward them. Much better. "Once we have the wand," he informed them, "all will be as it should."

"Ya hear that kid?" Emma smiled. "This is almost over." Almost. But clearly not yet. Waiting was painful, especially when she could think of nothing to do in the small space. Even more so when no one else could think of something to say or do in the small space. They shuffled, they wandered. Regina got up to ask if there was anything she could do. Emma took her place, and when she glanced back and realized that it was Regina Henry needed by his side instead of hers they'd traded places again as Mary Margaret wandered around staring distantly at the glass mobile again.

No one said anything. They all seemed to be much more comfortable in the silence than just trying to fill the space with empty words. He stood hunched against his work table, still staring down at the book but not really looking at it. She couldn't remember a time when she'd seen him so worried over performing magic, couldn't remember when anyone had gotten to him the way that Pan's antics had. It was heart wrenching. If she could have she would have pulled him out into the front room and given them a moment of privacy to just look into each other's eyes and replenish the energy he needed. But as it was, she didn't want to take him away from his space. It wouldn't help nearly as much as she would have liked it too. All she could do for now, was place an arm around his back and cover his own stiff fingers with her own. It wasn't much, but the small smile he threw her told her it was enough.

Until the bell on the front of the shop rang and she heard footsteps. Everyone in the room seemed to take a collective nervous breath, not knowing if the news coming to them was good or bad. "She's back!" David exclaimed, leading Neal and Hook into the room behind him. She allowed herself to sigh with relief. Not a mark on him. So far they'd all survived. "The Blue Fairy," David went on, "she gave us the wand." And there was more to be happy about! The Blue Fairy was alive! Mother Superior wasn't dead! That was…fantastic. Wonderful! Hopeful! She didn't know how it was possible but she knew it was a good sign, it had to be! And there, in Neal's hand, it could only be the Black Wand that they'd been after.

A lot of the happiness and hope she'd felt drained from her body as she held in a shiver at it's sight. It was just what she needed to hear and see in order to tip the scale in their favor she understood that, but there was also an odd feeling that came with the knowledge that her son was about to use it. He was part Fairy, something she didn't often consider, he could do this, he could use this wand once more for something good! This could work. In a few short hours they could all go home. This would be over for good.

"Do we need anything else?" Emma asked eagerly, glancing up at Rumple. She wanted to finish this just as much as she did. All of them did.

"Only one more item," Rumple stated, leaving her grasp and turning to the cabinet behind him, the place he'd hidden away her tea cup, the key to Pandora's box. From within it, he pulled what appeared to be a black circular item. Wide. Like a bracelet Lacey would have liked to own.

"What is that?" Mary Margaret asked from her perch.

"This is one of the only useful things I managed to pilfer from Greg and Tamara before they left for Neverland. It renders anyone with magic utterly powerless," he explained coming to rest before Henry.

"I haven't forgotten about all that, by the way," Regina commented in Hooks direction. He responded by taking the smallest of steps backward, as if he was afraid of retaliation coming right then. Now wasn't the time to ask about what they were talking about or when and how he'd retrieved it. He'd said the only words she needed for an explanation. "Before Neverland." She'd been Lacey. The events could have unfolded before her eyes and she would never have perceived them. They were minor details now. It was all in the past. She'd ask him for them when this was all over.

"Let me see your wrist Henry," the boy obliged without hesitation and Rumple folded it over his arm. "I want to make sure that when my dear old dad wakes, he's weakened. This will block his powers."

Smart. She hadn't considered that yet. Henry might not have known how to work the magic within him at the moment but the second Pan was with them in the shop he would. But not anymore. No matter how old the boy truly was, with that cuff on his arm, he was nothing more than a powerless, ordinary child. He could throw tantrum after tantrum if he wanted to, but they'd all be safe from him in the end. So long as the real Henry brought them the scroll, Pan would never hurt them again.

Henry glanced down at the bracelet then back up at him, nerves flaring over his face. "So, what happens now?" he asked quietly. She recognized that unsure bravery. The kind that came from knowing there was something to be done and there was no way around it. She'd had it herself many years ago, he'd given it to her then too. Although she really hadn't recognized it then, not like she did now. Henry would be fine, better than fine when they succeeded! After all, she had been.

"I enact the spell," he explained calmly, "you fall into a deep sleep, and when you awake you're back in your own body."

"Then you hang on to that scroll," Regina encouraged, "and you come find us as fast as you can!"

Rumple cast her a final glance as he rose and held out his hands for the brittle looking wand Neal was holding. She didn't like it and from the look on his face neither did he. Neal looked down at the thing with his nose turned up as if it smelled foul. Something about it just made the air feel wrong, but she doubted anyone other than the two of them would really understand why.

"When I gave my heart to Pan," Henry stated, "I thought I was being a hero. I'm sorry."

"No you're not the one that needs to be sorry," David corrected sternly. "Pan does."

"It's time," Rumple whispered, staring down into the wand as if it held the answer to everything. In this case, maybe it did. Emma and Regina got up, Henry laid down and cast the people in the room curious glances, all the while holding air in his chest as if he was trying to puff it out more, trying to look the part of an unfearing man instead of just a very brave little boy.

She swallowed as she watched Rumple move the wand over his form with confident precision. "Keep your eye on the wand," he muttered. Henry obeyed and a second later, when Rumple tapped it against his forehead there was a violent flash of light in the tiny room. When the brilliance cleared she could see Henry, or Pan, the boy, writhing and shaking on the bed.

"What's happening?!" Emma asked as he stepped away. She saw Neal move a small step closer out of the corner of her eye and glance eagerly toward his father. She moved forward, close enough to reach out and catch him if he tried to interrupt in some way. Terrifying as it was, if she knew anything from her time with Rumple it was that everything was as it should be. He'd made no mistake. This was simply something that had to happen, and she couldn't allow Neal to interrupt.

"Henry's spirit is leaving Pan's body," he explained, still moving the wand over him. But then, just as quickly as it had happened the body upon the cot was still. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Waiting for the boy to wake. For someone to say something. To question or confirm what was on all of their minds. Henry? Or Pan?

"It worked!" Regina exclaimed, but not as confidently as she could have. The remark was somewhere in between a question and statement. And she noticed that she looked at the boy now with caution. Should she step forward in case it was Henry? Or remain in case it was Pan? The look Rumple gave the crowd was all that she needed to know. Regina was right, it had worked. This was truly Pan that lay before them.

"Let's go find our son," Emma stated, determined as ever. It seemed too soon, too quick to move on from whatever had just happened before their eyes. But everyone seemed to agree with her, and she had to admit that it was the right thing to do. If everything had worked out perfectly then there wasn't a moment to waste. Henry had to be found, the scroll had to be destroyed, they had to save the town, and seconds could be the difference between success and failure.

"You wanna come?" she glanced over her shoulder at the small tap on her shoulder and quiet voice, it was muttered so low she wondered if anyone else had heard it. So low she wondered if she had made it up! But Neal was there, looking right at her, expecting an answer. She hadn't been mistaken. He was inviting her along! _He_ was _asking_ for her to come! The world seemed to have shifted, moved back into their favor. She couldn't be sure where things had changed for them between yesterday and now, at the moment she didn't particularly care. She was just too thrilled. She and Baelfire had the beginnings of a relationship! It could only be good...for all three of them.

She nodded as she beamed happily, wishing that it might not have been so obvious how happy that question had just made her. She placed a hand against his arm, giving a small happy squeeze before the pair of them followed the others in their small parade. Neal reached out, patted Rumple on the back and she purposely slowed down to wait for him to catch up, to put her arm through his and take off together as they always did.

But he didn't fall into step beside her as usual. And when she looked back, she realized he wasn't making any motion to. He was stuck, staring down into the face of the body...the face of the father who had abandoned him and hadn't had enough love in his heart to even consider him as something loved. She stopped Neal and went back, placing a hand against him and making him look up at her. Through her, really. He saw her but he didn't. He was distracted. Not hurt. Not happy or sad. Just distracted. Old as he was, he looked like a little boy lost...one looking for nothing but answers.

"You're not coming," she realized suddenly.

"No, no!" he responded gazing back down at the face before him. "I-I think not. My father and I have some, uh, unfinished family business."

She hesitated. Go? Or stay? If this had all been before Neverland she wouldn't have ever asked that question. Stay, would have been the clear answer. But it was a different time, a different situation. "Unfinished family business" was just one way of putting it. She didn't know what it was he wanted from his father, she didn't know what he wanted to say. But she knew enough to understand that she didn't need to be there for it. If he wanted her there he would have requested she remain. But for now she trusted the man he was, the man that she knew. He deserved that much from her.

Pan deserved less. And she had absolutely no trust in the boy or in whatever abilities he had. But her eyes seemed to automatically seek out the cuff, wrapped securely around his arm. He was just a boy, a harmless child. She could go, they'd find Henry, she'd make sure Neal and his grandson stayed safe in the meantime, and she'd leave the father and son to exchange whatever words they needed to exchange. When they were done, she'd pick up the pieces as she always did. When the pair of them were finished and the world was right again, she'd remind him that it was good as well. There might not have been hope in the past, but there was in their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so difficult to explain! Because if you were like me as we watched this episode then undoubtedly you were also staring at the TV yelling "Why are you leaving him alone you idiot!" It just seemed so unlike Belle to willy nilly leave him alone in the room with Pan all things considered. So, I played of that simile, the image of her and Neal leaving, the promise of a relationship and the idea that she trust him, and somehow got her out the door. I only hope that it is acceptable to ya'll. I honestly don't know if it is even for me.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	43. Nothing Was Right

She left first. Neal gave her a gentle tap on the back as she stepped out of the room then followed her only a few seconds behind, practically running to catch up with her. "Are you sure-"

"He'll be fine," she assured him quickly, fumbling with her gloves. It was the truth, he would be fine…eventually. He wouldn't be great the next time she saw him. He certainly wouldn't be happy or whole! But he might be a little less burdened than he was now, and then maybe they could put him back together again as they always had. As much as she feared how his confrontations turned out in the past, this particular one might give him a bit of closure. He wouldn't be good, but in the end he'd be fine. Not right away, but eventually. She'd get him there again. "I'll handle it," she muttered to the both of them, before allowing herself to latch onto his arm again and walk out of the shop.

The crowd of people hadn't gotten far. They were all gathered just outside the shop, voices raised.

"And how exactly do you suggest we go about finding the boy this time?" Hook asked casting Regina an irritated glance to go with his impatient voice. Whether it was the stress of the clock ticking, or the relief of the spell having worked on Henry, the delicate truce that the parties had maintained since they boarded that ship seemed to be falling apart. Now, it appeared, they were fighting over how to find the lost child.

"We should have thought of this before," Mary Margaret stated, shaking her head regretfully, "we should have told him where to meet us!"

"It wouldn't have helped," David muttered, "he wouldn't have known how far away he was or how long it would take to get back to us. It might just be better to stay here and let him come to us."

"No, it's not about where Henry would be, it's about where Pan would have been," Emma corrected.

"Right, anyone have any ideas for where to begin that might actually work?!" Regina asked, sending a glance over at Hook.

Obviously she'd missed something in their discussion. But just listening to them squabble with one another and she could figure it out easily enough. Clearly Hook had suggested something that hadn't been helpful and the others were trying to think of plans that would be helpful. They had to find Henry. How would they do that? Logic wouldn't help because, as Emma had already suggested, it wasn't Henry that had taken his body to wherever he was, it was Pan. He could be anywhere! And the only one that knew where he was for sure was currently unconscious in the pawn shop. She hadn't actually had any interaction with Peter Pan, not while he wasn't trying to act like Henry at least, but she suspected that he wouldn't tell them anything even if they did ask nicely...or with threats for that matter.

But still, there had to be a way other than just waiting for Henry to wake up on his own and then come find them. A spell, a potion, anything that could sniff out the location of...

A memory suddenly made her jaw drop and an idea formed. Granny, in her library, holding a cross bow, explaining that even if she couldn't turn into a wolf she still had the hearing. Would the other senses be there? The same senses that Ruby had told her about, like the sense of smell? Ruby may have been across town with Ashley but Granny was here. Could she literally "sniff out" Henry? Was the sense that strong? There was only one way to find out.

"Get Granny," she stated, when no one else offered up any other suggestions. No one said anything. They all just looked at her as if she'd gone mad. "I know it sounds crazy," she admitted to them, "but she might be able to smell him! Like a-"

"Wolf!" David exclaimed suddenly. "She's right. I've seen her do it."

Emma looked between the two of them, then around the crowd as if waiting for someone to offer an explanation or another idea. When none came she took a deep breath. "Granny's it is," she decided, marching off down the street. They followed after her, banging on the diners door and demanding Granny see them before she could even open. If they didn't succeed then there might not even be a diner to open!

The moment Granny heard the story of what was happening she flipped the sign to closed and stepped outside. She took a deep, deep, breath in through her nose, her eyes roamed up and down the street and over the windows. Then she let her eyes close, and did it again, she imagined to let her other senses dull and allow her nose alone to work.

It did.

Or so she suspected if the way Granny took off down the steps without another word was any indication. "Really?!" Emma exclaimed, with disbelief as she ran after her. "It's that easy?"

"It's not that hard, it hasn't been but maybe a few minutes since he passed by here," Granny informed them as they followed the trail down the center of the street, "I've got his scent, he's nearby." Nearby? Everyone seemed to look around them as they ran, as if expecting to find Henry sleeping somewhere in an ally or looking out of one of the windows. Nearby? Where?

"The tower?" Emma questioned as they ran. She knew the answer before Granny had time to confirm or deny that suspicion. She swallowed nervously. This close?! All this time Pan had only been across the street?! It made her skin crawl, but it did make sense. Of course he'd been in the tower. If he was going to enact a powerful curse, if he was going to claim victory, he'd want a place where he could look out over the destruction he'd caused. Where better than the clock tower?

Suddenly, before they could make it there, the white door of her dominion swung forward, and Henry peered around the side. And before they could question whether or not it was Henry or Pan, the boy began yelling "It's me!" desperately. "It's me, it worked!" and he flung himself into the open arms of Emma and Regina. She kept waiting for Neal to step forward, to take his turn, but he hung back, put his hands in his pockets and let them take all the time they needed. He was respectful and she would have been proud of how well Bae had turned out after everything he'd been through in his life if it wasn't for the fact that they had to hurry.

"Mom, mom, I just saw you guys," Henry muttered between them, clearly the only one that had still remembered the danger at hand. "You guys just saw me," he reminded them as they pulled away from him.

"But we didn't see you!" Regina corrected. But before he could reassure the women again, she saw him hold out his hand. The scroll!

"Oh, he's got it!" Emma breathed taking it from his hand. "It's up to you now," she said handing the scroll, and the lives of everyone in Storybrooke over to the Evil Queen that had sent them all here in the first place.

Regina took it, held it in her hand, looked it over, and...

Collapsed in a brilliant flash of light the scroll gave off.

"Regina!" they scrambled to catch her before her head hit the pavement. "Regina!" Emma cried, checking her neck for a pulse and her chest for breath. "Regina wake up!" she shouted. "Now is not the time to play the role of sleeping beauty!" Nothing happened. Her heart raced as she watched the Queen with a strange hopeful anticipation. Whether or not she liked her their success depended on Regina! What if she didn't wake?! "Regina!" Emma continued endlessly, "Regina!"

Regina opened her eyes wide suddenly. "Emma," she breathed.

"What happened?" Emma asked as she and Henry managed to pull the shaken woman to her feet. "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she breathed slowly, sounding as though she'd just run a hundred miles instead of fallen onto her back in the middle of the street. She couldn't see her face, only her back, but she didn't sound okay. She sounded as if she had no idea who or where she was. Worse. Her voice gave her the distinct feeling that nothing was right and everything was wrong. Instead of taking a step forward, they'd somehow managed to take at least one back as well. "It's just-"

"What is it?" Mary Margaret begged nervously, already bracing herself for the rest. "What happened when you touched it?"

Regina looked down at the scroll in her hand. "I saw what needed to be done," she responded. And clearly it was nothing good. Magic didn't produce a response like that, or a voice like that, when good news followed. She'd seen the answer, she knew, but she'd been listening to Rumple and his carefully chosen words long enough to recognize when someone was leaving valuable information out purposefully. Whatever the answer was, it either wasn't good, or wasn't as easy, or quick, as they needed it to be. Or, worst of all, maybe it was all of those things. It had taken him a long time, a lot of planning, and evil to craft the curse to begin with. Maybe they'd been silly to think undoing it would be so simple in the first place.

"Mom," Henry muttered, breaking Regina's silent staring between her and the scroll, "are you going to be okay?"

Regina leaned down and, she could only imagine, looked her son dead in the eye. "The important thing is..." she whispered, "you will be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy...here we go ya'll. Buckle your seat belts, grab the wine, get the tissues because we're about to go through the three hardest chapters I've ever written for Moments! I kid you not I cried the whole way through. Just remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel! We will get there.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	44. Everything Was Wrong

Strange. Regina had just reassured Henry he would be okay, but she didn't feel reassured in her words. Henry would be okay, but Regina wouldn't? What did that mean? What were they supposed to expect? She just had to destroy the scroll! What price was tied to it that warranted that response?! Or the collapse of the Evil Queen?

"No he won't!" She glanced up at the strange voice calling out to them from across the street and saw an impossible sight that made her stomach drop. Pan! Pan was free?! How was that possible? And if Pan was free...

Her body wasn't working, it couldn't function properly and those terrible nightmares she'd had when Rumpelstiltskin had been away in Neverland came flooding back into her mind. Her heart was pounding too fast, there wasn't enough air to breath, and her throat was too swollen to allow her to even swallow. If Pan was here? Where was he?

The others were moving, doing their best to stand far away from the threat. All except Bae, who took a small step forward, somehow managing to place himself between her and Pan. That wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to run. Not away. To the shop. She wanted to check on him to find him and make sure he was alright! He had to be! The only way he could be killed, she reminded herself, was with that dagger. And if Pan didn't have it in his hand, then he was alive. But then why wasn't he here?!

"He has the-" Hook stated, but said no more as Pan waved his hand in the air cutting him off.

"Curse?" he questioned. "That I do."

She saw it then, her heart stopped. The scroll! He'd snatched it back! Nearly as soon as he'd said the words and wondered what everyone was waiting for, she'd made a lunge to run for the store...but she didn't. She tried to yell, to call out for him, the shop was right down the street, he'd hear her! But her jaw just wouldn't open. Her chest moved up and down, her heart, her brain, they all seemed capable of working just fine. But she couldn't get her body to respond to her thoughts to move. And she suddenly felt as though she didn't even need to blink…as if she could.

The cuff! She looked up and down the boys arms hoping that it was shoved up a sleeve somewhere she couldn't see! But there was no trace of it. It was gone. Pan had his magic. He'd done this!

"Look at you all," Pan jeered gazing out over them. She couldn't turn her head to look, but judging by the silence and stillness beside her, she feared they held the same fate as she did. "A captive audience! I could play with you like a pack of dogs, couldn't I? But I think I'll start with these two." Her stomach worked just fine, and as Pan stepped closer to her and to Baelfire it clenched tightly within her belly. Of course he'd start with him. If he wanted to hurt his son, if he truly wanted revenge on Rumple for whatever unknown reason he despised him for, they were the two that would hurt him the most. And the way he was eyeing them told her that he knew it.

"You both look so adorable. Hard to tell which one to kill first," the boy smiled almost gleefully then. Wasn't there a way to move?! To beg him to take her first! To spare Bae! It would be a blow to him, but he'd survive it. He'd survived her death once before, he could do it again! But he didn't have anything to live for if there was no Baelfire! She'd seen that tragedy play out first hand. And maybe if he had something to do, if killing her gave them time, maybe somehow the spell would be broken on the others and they'd be saved.

"No it isn't," Pan went on, his eyes landing on Neal and making her want to scream at him with every fiber of her being. "You! You first." If she could move, her jaw would have dropped and she would have smiled. He didn't need his cane anymore and it was a good thing, because he had suddenly appeared in the door way of his shop. Why he didn't use his magic she didn't know but Pan seemed completely unaware of his son suddenly running down the street for them. He was alive! And there was hope! It would be okay now! If anything could overpower Pan, it was the magic of the Dark One!

"Stay away from them!" Rumple growled breathless, yanking Pan away from the pair of them once he was close enough. No. Not Rumple. Not hers, not the man she knew. The beast. He was just as free as Pan was. And that meant there was no escape for his father. A threat like that...he'd kill Pan without a doubt.

"Well, how about this," Pan grinned dangerously, "the worm has teeth. What? Are you here to protect your loved ones," he mocked in a babyish voice.

"I'm not gonna let you touch either one of them."

"Oh, I'd like to see that."

"Oh, you will," he assured him taking a menacing step forward, "because I have a job to finish. And I have to do it, whatever it takes. No loopholes."

The blood drained from her face. No. No. No. No, it couldn't be. A job to finish? Whatever it takes? Loopholes? She knew the kind of thinking that accompanied those thoughts he had. She knew the source of them. This couldn't have been it! He was wrong! He had to be! Henry! Henry was the boy, his undoing. And he had been! He'd come back so different. The prophecy had already come to pass...hadn't it? Did it matter? So long as he didn't think it had, he'd continue to worry about it. He'd continue to believe his death was only moments away. And if he'd consigned himself to that fate, if she couldn't break free and explain this to him, couldn't rein him in...it was too terrible a thought for her to even conceive!

"And what needs to be done has a price," he explained to Pan, "a price I'm finally willing to pay." No. This couldn't be happening. Not like this! Not here not now! But he was looking at Neal. Not the monster, not her Rumple, but the father within him stared at the son he'd never had enough time to know. No. There was time for that. There was time for everything. There had to be! He was tricking him, somehow he was going to get rid of Pan! Maybe she was still dreaming? Maybe she hadn't slept as peacefully as she thought. This was just another nightmare. She'd wake up and be back in his arms. Henry would be fine and none of this would have happened. Or she'd find she'd fallen asleep at the library desk again and he wasn't even back yet! That reality was preferable to this one! This simply couldn't be real! She wouldn't allow it!

"I used the curse to find you Bae, to tell you I made a mistake, to make sure you had a chance at happiness. And that happiness is possible, just not with me. I accept that."

"Pretty, pretty words," Pan laughed.

"I love you Bae."

No. No, he wasn't saying good-bye. Because if he was saying good-bye to Bae then...

His gaze turned upon her.

No! She wanted to scream to throw herself between him and Pan and shake him until he came to his senses. He wasn't going to say whatever he wanted to say! He could tell her later, someday decades from now when all this was over and they were sitting together in a quiet room somewhere, laughing about how he'd nearly fooled her too for once in her life.

"And I love you, Belle." No! "You made me stronger."

No. No. No. NO! Didn't he see how strong he made her?! Didn't he understand that he couldn't do this! He'd survived without her, it had nearly ripped him to pieces but he'd survived. She wouldn't. How was she supposed to wake up in the morning if he wasn't there? How was she supposed to go about her day knowing that she'd never see him again? No. It was a trick! Wasn't it?! A very convincing trick! So why were his eyes telling her that he was being truthful...and that he was sorry.

No.

"Stronger, yes. But still...no magic." Pan made a motion and she followed his gaze. This time, it wasn't the spell that stopped her heart. All this time, she'd been waiting for the Dark One to cast some spell to get rid of Pan! But he wouldn't. He couldn't! She saw it now. Instead of a neatly buttoned cufflink, around his wrist was the same bracelet he'd put onto Pan to block magic.

No.

"Oh but I don't need it," he taunted, the beast once again returning to the surface. "You see, you may have lost your shadow, but there's one thing you're forgetting."

"And what's that?"

"So have I," he hissed with a wickedly false smile. "I sent it away with something to hide."

She watched, her stomach doing roll after roll after roll as he raised his hand high into the air flicked out his fingers in a classically flamboyant gesture, characteristic of the Dark One. He'd already given in, surrendered himself to the beast within. And there! Coming through the sky, obeying his summons, was, she suspected, exactly what it looked like. His shadow. Carrying something. The dagger. The one thing that could kill him. The last thing she wanted to see at this particular scene.

It all happened so fast. Faster than she knew it would. Pan glanced up to observe the shadow, Rumple took advantage of the distraction. The moment the shadow joined with his body, leaving the dagger in his hand, Rumple threw his arms around his father, seizing him tightly. He wasn't hugging him, he was trapping him, immobilizing the boy so he couldn't fight back. Maybe the skin to skin contact forced the cuff to work on him as well?! But with the knife at Pan's back, she realized, he wasn't the only one trapped...so was he.

"What are you doing?!" Pan shouted as they struggled.

"You see, the only way for you to die, is if we both die!" No. "And now...now I'm ready!"

Without further warning, she watched with horror as the man she loved reared back and guided the dagger into the back of his father, burying it up to the hilt. No. It wasn't possible, it wasn't right. Pan would have been slain, but there was no way that the dagger hadn't pierced his own heart. He was struggling, his grip easing as if in shock, his muscles struggling to hold on as she imagined his heart struggling to pump the blood through his beautiful body. No. It wasn't possible! Any minute now! Any minute he'd pull away, leave Pan dead and reveal that the dagger had scratched him, but never actually hurt him.

Something was happening, something she couldn't explain. The wind blew, but the air around them seemed still. From the wound on Pan's back, thick black smoke suddenly swirled around, enveloping the two men until they were no longer visible. When it cleared, it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin and Pan anymore. It was Rumpelstiltskin and his father...his real father, no longer a boy, just a man that looked nearly as old as the son holding him as his body struggled futilely to cope with the trauma of the dagger. "Hello Papa!" she heard him hiss into the man's ear.

The stranger was dying. Fast. She could hear him whisper something into his ear, respond in some way to the final taunt his son had given him. But she could only make out half of it. "Stop this…Remove the dagger…Have a happy ending!"

"Ah, but I'm a villain," her shinning hero pointed out, returning to that same terrible belief she'd tried to discourage him from over and over again, "and villains don't get happy endings." Without warning, he turned the dagger in his father's back, a small grunt issuing from both of their mouths. From the place the dagger had been stuck, a bright gold light suddenly began to glow. She watched helplessly as he embraced his father, one last time before the light became too great to look through. As suddenly as it had appeared and grown, it was gone…and so was he.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peace and Happy Reading!


	45. Broken

The scroll was the only thing left, falling from the place where Pans hand once held it in a fist. It clattered to the ground with a dull loud echo through her empty body.

The air swelled. It pressed against her chest, it reached inside of her, wrapped itself around the air in her lungs and pulled it out with a violent yank. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Or hear. Or see what was around her. Only the spot before her. Only the empty place where he'd once stood. Where he wasn't. Gone. For good. And she knew that it was true because she'd been right all along. He was gone…and she felt it.

Her body swayed.

Her chest fought to get the breath it had lost back.

Her heart broke.

No. Not broke. It had been ripped from her chest. Stolen. Just as her air had been. Just as the rest of her had been. Just as he had been.

She could move again, but she couldn't feel. Her hands trembled as they responded to the shocking events that had played out before her eyes. She was vaguely aware of covering her mouth, but not being able to keep in her tears. And the way her legs suddenly felt like they were boneless and she couldn't support her own weight under the burden that he'd inadvertently placed on her shoulders.

The ground was cold. It was wet. It was made of steel.

It was lonely.

She kept waiting for him to come. To pop out of the ground, or reveal that he'd hidden behind some wall. To come bursting out of the library, pick her up, and promise that it wasn't true. That it was a trick. That he wouldn't leave her like that. Like this.

But he never came…

And she knew no one ever would. She was right when he was in Neverland, she could feel it

All of it. A place in her heart that she imagined had been the place she'd always been bound to him was missing, broken, ripped away from her leaving a jagged painful wound. She felt it.

"No..." she heard someone who sounded like her cry out as she stared, unable to tear her eyes off the terrible spot. "Rumple!" He'd just been there. Just a moment ago! She didn't even get his body? Didn't even get to try and revive him, or help him, or offer a kiss of true love. He was just...just... "He's-he's gone!"

The world was moving. She could feel it, she could see it. It was spinning on without her. There was someone on the ground, someone that looked and sounded like her, but couldn't be her. Because if there was no Rumpelstiltskin, then there was no her. She was unable to move from the spot that her body had collapsed. She'd felt that knife pierce her skin, right through her heart and turn to gut her, let her insides spill out over the black pavement before her with no hope of any recovery.

There were others there around her. One of them was stepping forward to retrieve the scroll, disturbing the peace of the ground he should have been in. Something...a distant memory...a warning...an urgency in her brain...sparked.

The scroll.

The curse.

Did any of it matter anymore? She felt as though the world was already gone, whatever was coming couldn't be worse than this.

"Regina?" a woman questioned. A woman. People. The scroll. Hope that wasn't. That she could never possess again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the woman named Regina answered. Fine. She'd never be that either. She couldn't be.

"I'm so sorry." Another woman. Someone she knew?

"My father did what he had to do," a man answered.

Another spark.

Not a man. A boy that wasn't dead. Only lost. A lost boy in a man's body. The reason they'd come here. His son. Baelfire.

"He saved us. Regina, don't let him die for nothing."

Die.

Nothing.

She felt as though each word was a stab in her stomach and she doubled over, whining without noise at what those awful words suggested.

Gone.

Forever.

"Regina!" the lost boy said.

"What?!" she woman asked.

"We're here for a reason, love," another man stated. Reason? What reason? Where was the "reason" in what he'd done?

 _Safety_ , a small, miniscule voice at the back of her mind told her.

"He saved us" the boy had said.

He saved...no, not all of them. He hadn't saved her. They'd go on, they had a chance, he'd saved them! Her body was alive. But entwined as they'd been since the moment they'd met, he'd taken her soul with him to…nowhere.

"Pan?" the man asked.

"He's dead," the woman stated. The word didn't make her cry. She was passed that, passed the point of tears. All she could do was stay there…stare at the ground…watch the living as they moved and talked around her.

"His curse remains. Can you stop it? Or should we all start preparing our souls, cause mine's gonna take some time?"

"It's here!" a man yelled at the top of his lungs. "It's here! The curse! It's here! It's coming! From all sides! There's no escape."

"It's not too late," another man asked, "we can still stop it, right? Regina?!"

"Yes," the woman confirmed, "yes."

"Wh-what's the price?" a woman asked. "Gold said there was a price. What is our price?"

Him. He was the price. The only part that mattered.

"It's not our price. It's mine."

Hers. His. Theirs.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's what I felt when I first held it."

Happiness. Possibility. Wasn't that what she'd felt when she first held him? When he'd first held her and every time after? She'd never feel that again. It was all part of the price of losing him. She'd given away her emotions. She'd gambled with her soul and lost…all.

"I have to say good-bye to the thing I love most."

The thing she loved most. The thing she loved most? Him. Gone. No more.

"Henry?"

Henry.

A spark.

She knew that name.

"I can never see him again."

Henry.

The lost boy's son. Baelfire's son. The son of Rumpelstiltskin's son. His grandson.  _"Does this like, make you my grandmother or something?"_ Another distant voice that sounded like she once had. _"He'll only take you from me over my dead body."_ It was true but it wasn't. Pan was gone. But so was he. His body was gone. Baelfire remained. Henry. His grandson remained.  _"Don't let him die for nothing"_

She wasn't sure how, she wasn't sure why, but she felt her legs pick her up off the ground. Still, her arms remained wrapped tight around her body. As if she could some how keep the bits of her that were falling out in the tighter she held. She was up, but she was cracked, broken, irreparably damaged. If she didn't fight to keep herself together, she might just shatter into a million pieces.

 _"Don't let him die for nothing."_ Bae's words echoed stronger in her mind as if they'd been meant for her. He hadn't meant to leave her behind. But he wouldn't have wanted her to give up completely either. He'd died to be sure she went on, even if it was only her body.

She had to move.

"I have no choice," Regina insisted. "I have to undo what I started."

"The curse that brought us to Storybrooke?" a woman responded. Mary Margaret. Her name was Mary Margaret. But she was also Snow White. She remained too. And her husband, David. He was still here as well. Because of him.

Her hero.

"That created Storybrooke," Regina amended. "It doesn't belong here! And neither do any of us!"

She didn't belong here. She didn't belong at home…or in a castle…or an apartment…she never had. She belonged with him. She didn't belong anywhere then.

"Breaking the curse destroys the town," David went on.

"It will wink out of existence as if it were never here." Just as he had. "And everyone will go back to where they're from." No. Not her. She wasn't from anywhere. Not if he wasn't there. "Prevented from ever returning."

"You'll go back to the Enchanted Forest?" Emma clarified.

"All of us," she stressed, "except Henry. He will stay here, because he was born here."

"Alone?!"

"No," Regina stepped closer to Emma, looking as though she was about to tell her the most important thing in the world. "You will take him, because you're the savior and you were created to break the curse. And once again, you can escape it." Henry could escape. They'd live on. Terrible as she felt, the voice in her head told her this was a good thing. But it didn't feel good. Or right. Nothing ever would again.

"I-I don't want to. We'll both go back, with everyone."

"That's not an option," Regina informed her. "I can't be with him. If I don't pay the price none of this will work."

There was a crashing noise from somewhere in the distance. She hugged herself tighter and glanced around. She couldn't mourn the loss of the town, the library, the shop. How had she ever seen them as precious? They were miniscule, nothing. She'd trade them all in an instant to have him back, to spend a few final moments with him before the green smoke took them away from each other again. At least there would be a chance. They'd come back to each other before, they could have again! But that possibility simply didn't exist anymore.

"Emma, you have to go!" Mary Margaret insisted desperately.

"I just found you!" she argued.

"And now it's time for you to leave us again. For your best chance, for his!"

For his sacrifice.

"No!" she burst out. "No! I-I'm-I'm not done. I'm the savior, right? I'm supposed to bring back all the happy endings. That's what Henry always says!"

"Happy endings aren't always what we think they will be." And for some, like her, they'd never come to pass. "Look around you! You've touched the lives of everyone here," Mary Margaret went on, fighting, she could see to get her daughter to go. To make sure Henry never had to be alone...just as she would be. It was a terrible fate. One she wouldn't have wished even on her worst enemy. Not Hook. Not the Evil Queen. Not even Keith. If she could keep Henry from that, then she had to take the lifeline she was being tossed.

"But we're a family."

"Yes," Mary Margaret insisted, her voice growing more and more rushed, breathless. "And we always will be, you gave us that."

"You and Henry can be a family and you can get your wish!" David tried. "You can be like everyone else. You can be happy!"

"It's time for you to believe in yourself, Emma," her mother pushed, "it's time for you to find hope."

"There was a time, when all I wanted was for you to get the hell out of my life so I could be with my son. But really, what I want, is for Henry to be happy. We have no choice," Regina concluded, leaving no room for the girl to argue. "You have to go!"

There was silence, a moment when she was certain they would run out of time waiting for Emma to respond. A moment where she tried to find her voice, to beg them to make sure the gift Rumpelstiltskin had bestowed upon them wouldn't go to waste, but she simply couldn't find the strength to push the words out. And just when she was beginning to think that it was all useless, that she'd be cursed to a hellish eternity of Pan's creation, without ever having even a memory of him and their life together, Emma opened her mouth and gave the smallest of nods.

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so...I know that it's choppy. That's done on purpose. Remember, Rumple isn't just dead but he's just died. All of this is taking place only minutes after he's died and I don't know about ya'll but when my Grandmother died I know I wasn't capable of intelligent cohesive thoughts for a good hour or so. The first realization slams into you like a thousand tons of bricks and the second...the second is where the tears come. The fact that she doesn't have the opportunity to really process anything in the wake of it all and just go where they say and do as they say is unfortunate, but don't worry, she'll find her voice again soon. We all saw that she's back to being Belle again in almost no time and I will get her there I promise but for right now...this is just where she has to be.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	46. After The End

Emma's word triggered a flurry of actions and discussion from the people around her.

"The curse is coming from all sides, there's no way to get around it," Leroy pointed out as Granny pulled a small cell phone out of her pocket.

"Regina," Mary Margaret questioned, "what do we do? How do we get them out?"

"We won't go around it," Regina stated, staring down at Henry as if she was trying to memorize the boys face so she'd carry it with her forever. "We'll go through it. Together."

"Are we all here?" Mary Margaret looked around. "Leroy, the other dwarves!"

"I'll get them!"

"David, Archie!"

"We don't have time for all this!" Regina snapped.

"Just time enough," her step-daughter commented as Leroy and David both ran to fetch the others. "Tinkerbell! The other fairies!"

"Here!" She looked down the street, glancing down the street to find Tinkerbell and the Blue Fairy racing toward them. "We wanted to know what happened with the wand!"

"What's happening?!" Mother Superior asked. Too much was happening.

"Everything," Emma muttered softly, sounding as if she was still in shock...though a different kind of shock than her own.

"There's no time to explain," Regina snapped. "Tink, can you get us to the town line?"

"With the three of us we can," The Blue Fairy responded for her. "But we'd be stronger if we had-"

"That's not an option anymore," Regina stated.

Her brain was moving slowly, it still wasn't functioning properly, not fast enough for what was happening around her. It took her a second to catch on. They'd be stronger if they had him. But no one did. Not them. Not Baelfire. And definitely not her.

"Please!" She turned to see Archie running to join the group with David by his side. "Marco and August, is there time?" A clap of rolling thunder met their ears in response and behind them, around them, peeking through the trees and over the tops of the buildings, thick green smoke was brewing. It swallowed the land up, inching closer and closer by the second. Leroy was right. She wasn't sure where it had started, but it was coming from all sides. They were surrounded.

"No, none," Regina answered uselessly.

"We're here!" The dwarves came bounding down the street in the nick of time from Granny's. "We're here!"

"That's all of us then."

"No, wait!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, "Ruby!"

"Half way across town," Granny responded quickly, putting her phone in her pocket. "She's leaving now. I told her to stay but she's going to meet us at the line. Or try to…before it's too late."

"It already is," Regina confirmed. "The town line," she said, looking at the fairies, "you can do that." They nodded and took their places, spread themselves out around the small crowd that had gathered and raised their arms out, closing their eyes. She wasn't sure what was happening, she wasn't sure what they were doing, but she was suddenly aware of the world around her blurring and fading as if it were chalk in the rain. She cast the spot that he had last stood a final glance, but it faded away before she could get a good look. She had the sensation of moving, of the world pressing in tight around her and easing as she realized she was still again. The blurred world became fine and detailed again. And when everything came into clear view, she realized that she wasn't in town any more, but standing on a street at one of the towns boarders. One of the boarders she'd watched herself to keep others out as she'd waited for him to return.

That wait had nearly killed her. How was she supposed to survive this one? An eternity? She felt tears begin to well in her eyes again. So many people were crowded around her, yet she felt horribly and utterly alone. She couldn't do this. It had only been minutes and she didn't know how she was still standing. How did he expect her to go on for years, decades this way?

A hand. A touch. Something small but warm wrapped over her shoulders and around her back. Archie. He stood beside her, pulled her against his side. She wasn't sure what he knew, if he knew, but he was warm and alive. And right now, he was the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground again and curling up into a ball. It wasn't a lot. But she had to take what she could get from now on. Small comforts would be all she had left for the rest of her life and, even then, it wouldn't be enough.

Another roll of thunder sounded somewhere behind her. The green storm rose over the trees. It was still coming for them, but it was far more distant here than it had been before.

"My bug!" She turned to see Emma staring at the orange line on the ground, and her yellow car parked there, ready to leave the town behind that very moment. "How long do we have?"

"Minutes," Regina answered. "If you have to say good-byes do it quick."

Emma nodded and looked around the group before her. The dwarves swarmed all at once, not giving her a choice in the matter. Granny came next, wrapping her in a tight hug before turning to Henry and offering the same. She nodded to Mother Superior and Tink, who were still oblivious to what was happening. "Archie," she muttered, giving him a nod of acknowledgement. He offered a smile of his own.

Then Emma turned to her. They'd never exactly gotten along. They'd had interactions, exchanged words, she'd never really trusted her because of her association with Rumpelstiltskin. So when her eyes fell on her and her chin wrinkled, she was surprised, when she strode over to her and put her arms around her for the first time, she couldn't keep her tears from falling.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered when she pulled away from her. "I just…I can't even imagine…"

"Don't waste it," she finally managed, her voice no more than a pleading whisper. She didn't want to hear the end of that sentence, she just couldn't bear it. "Please," she begged as the salty tears fell down over the bridge of her nose. "Please stay safe. Both of you," she added as Henry was suddenly there by her side.

Emma gave her hands a squeeze. "We will," she promised. Then, Emma glanced back over her shoulder, seeking out her parents while she reached out and gave Henry a one armed hug. There had been so much promise between the pair of them this morning. A question of what they were, what they would be. It was gone too. Neal was coming with her, but it was the last time that she'd ever hug his grandson. Her almost grandson.

He was gone too suddenly. Archie held her close again as Henry followed after his mother and hugged his other grandparents, then turned and stood before Regina. She watched the pair interact, their whispers too low for her to make out. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. She was separated from him, eternally. Henry would be parted from all but Emma, from the woman who raised him. And Neal was about to be separated from his own son, maybe not by death, but by realms. This wasn't right. He'd told Bae that happiness existed for him, this couldn't be what he'd had in mind for him. But maybe he'd known it wasn't coming for her. Maybe he'd known that she'd never be happy again without him. Maybe that was why he hadn't told her happiness was a possibility. Had he known it wasn't? And sentenced her to the fate all the same? She wished he'd just taken her with him.

He was hurting. It wasn't as if she'd expected him not to be, but as Emma and Henry moved toward Neal she could see the same look of pain his father had worked so hard to hide from the world. But there was something more there as he hugged his son. Another look she recognized well, one she'd described to Neal only hours ago.  _He's determined. And when he's determined there's very little that can stand in his way. And that includes you and me._ And he certainly hadn't let it stop him from saving Henry. Bae wore that same look right now and she suspected that it was due to the same person.

Yes, they might not look the same, but the resemblance was in their eyes. It would certainly make it hard to face Neal after this…if he'd face her at all. They had no reason now, she supposed. Nothing but a budding bond, fragile and delicate. Would it be strong enough to survive what they'd endured? Or would they go their separate ways from this moment on? Would he forget about her?

That thought alone made the pain she was feeling double.

She just didn't want to be alone, left with nothing but the memories of moments they'd shared. She'd been forced to give him up. She wasn't sure if she could voluntarily do it with his son. He was the only bit of him that she had left. She wanted to guard him as much as she knew he would have.

She felt her back shudder and Archie did his best to pull her closer, to be supportive. But it wasn't Archie she wanted, and as much as she cared for Neal, he wasn't it either. No. She couldn't do this. Not for the rest of her life.

There was another rumble of thunder and a quick glance told her they were nearly out of time. The curse would reach the town limit soon. It would take them, and take Emma, if they didn't leave. But as Emma finished talking to Hook, before she could get into her car and drive away, Regina caught her again. She watched. She tried to strain her ears to figure out what they were saying, but the words were hushed; muffled against the growing sound of the clouds racing toward them.

Mary Margaret was last, and there was something so heartbreakingly simple about the final kiss on the forehead that she gave her daughter that she was certain Archie wasn't just supporting her, but holding her up completely now. They hadn't gotten that. A few final words on his behalf and it was the end. She hadn't gotten to tell him everything she'd always promised she would. She'd never be able to tell him she loved him. To feel him kiss her like that again or call her sweetheart or wake up to the brush of fingers against her back…no.

It hurt.

The weight was crushing again.

She tried to focus. To live in this moment and not that one. To hear the boom of thunder and lightning behind her. To know that there was no way Ruby would make it in time. To watch as his grandson got safely into the car with his birth mother. To pay attention to Regina as she paid the price, turned her back on her son, and released into the sky purple beams of magic from her hands. To understand the significance of the green haze that turned purple, just as it had been that day at the well, when they'd been reunited and brought back together again. To not let every moment that had occurred between then and now crush her.

When the first licks of smoke grazed her skin she looked away, back toward the town line, to where Neal seemed to be unable to keep still. As the fog grew thicker she was vaguely aware of his small shuffles and backward steps toward her and Archie, of Bae's sad whispered "I've got her" as his unfamiliar arm replaced Archie's at her waist and they both stared down the long road to catch a glimpse of the yellow car carrying their family away.

But it was too late, the smoke was already too thick, and the car had faded away into the distance...into safety.

She hoped the price of that would be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, welcome to the end. I really hope that you enjoyed this story! The next story in the Moments series is Moments Exchanged and it covers everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year. 
> 
> Of course if you liked what you read please comment, bookmark, or leave kudos! I love getting those wonderful little gems in my inbox and communicating with the people reading on a personal level. And if you want to read more please check out any of the other fictions in the Moments Series. For more information on the Moments Series, upcoming fictions, posting days and publishing dates, or to keep up on any editions on the Moments Series throughout the year follow Montreat11 on Twitter! Peace and Happy Reading!


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